Elon Musk Wants Mars. Gerard O’Neill Wanted Orbitals

John Bucknell made Raptor engines at SpaceX. He also designed a nuclear thermal turbo rocket. He now wants to solve energy. Ambitious young man.

Virtus Solis puts solar panels in orbit, beams power to the ground via radio waves that pass through clouds and weather without loss, and delivers electricity at $30 to $40 per megawatt hour while the plant is being financed. Once the asset is paid off: 50 cents per megawatt hour. The UK pays $350 today.

John's argument is that every other energy technology fails at least one point of the energy trilemma: clean, firm, and affordable. Space solar is the only one that achieves all three. First plant: 2030.

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EPISODE TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) The Question: Can space solar give us free energy?

(00:43) The High Frontier: O'Neill's vision for space colonies

(01:13) John Bucknell: The SpaceX Raptor Engineer

(02:04) Why Did Elon Change His Mind about the Moon?

(05:34) The Space Energy Business: Economics and feasibility

(11:59) Getting Politicians Behind Space-Based Solar Power

(15:34) Post-Capitalism and Free Energy: What happens next?

(20:09) Kessler Syndrome Explained: Is orbital debris really a threat?

(27:25) Top 3 Things Humanity Should Solve

(28:50) 2030 Launch Timeline and next steps