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ABOUT THE SPACE POWER ASSOCIATION (SPA) Space Solar Power (SSP) is a concept which in one application would beam energy from space to Earth. The concept could help solve energy needs on the Earth and in space. The Space Power Association (SPA) is a private, international organization bringing technical and policy experts together to discuss, analyze, and advance the concept of Space Solar Power. Currently, the Space Power Association is part of the Sunsat Energy Council. The Sunsat Energy Council (SUNSAT) is an international, non-governmental organization affiliated with the United Nations. formed to disseminate information about space solar power systems. The current President of the Space Power Association is John Mankins, president of ARTEMIS Innovation Management Solutions LLC. About the Sunsat Energy Council The Sunsat Energy Council (SUNSAT) is an international, non-governmental organization affiliated with the United Nations. Our purpose is to disseminate information about a promising renewable energy technology - space solar power systems. These systems could supply baseload electricity to Earth, 24 hours per day. The concept of solar power satellites in high Earth orbit beaming power to the surface was conceived by Dr. Peter Glaser in 1967. Between then and 1980, the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the U.S. Department of Energy studied the concept thoroughly and developed preliminary designs that were projected to be technologically feasible. While these studies also indicated economic feasibility, a number of the premises made were criticized as being too optimistic, importantly, a very low cost of moving material to space. Since 1995, NASA has been conducting new studies of the feasibility of establishing space solar power systems for the production of commercial energy for use on Earth. These studies have received significant interest and support from the U.S. Congress and are breaking new ground technically and in terms of program implementation that could lead to the first commercial solar power transmission from space to Earth within the next twenty years. As is the case for any major new technology in an area as important economically as energy, it will take time for solar power from space to gain acceptance and to become economically competitive with terrestrial sources of energy including solar power collected at the Earth's surface. The promise of space solar power is that it will be very clean (only electricity is beamed to Earth), continuous, and potentially very inexpensive. SUNSAT was founded by Dr. Glaser in 1970 to provide an educational function. For many years, a small core of proponents of space solar power has worked quietly for SUNSAT to promote this new technology. SUNSAT members made important contributions to renewing the interest of NASA during the late 1990's. The promise of space solar satellites beaming energy to Earth has never been brighter. The NASA studies suggest that space-derived energy can be provided to Earth at costs that would be competitive with other forms of energy, once the cost of transportation into space has been reduced. Many organizations are now working on concepts for achieving transportation cost reductions. International interest in space solar power has become more apparent. And the environmental problems of the developing world, where clean energy sources are particularly important, have been highlighted as worldwide attention is being paid to global change. About John C. Mankins, President of the Space Power Association (SPA)
John C. Mankins is currently the President of the Space Power Association (SPA). Mr. Mankins is also the President of ARTEMIS Innovation Management Solutions LLC and Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Managed Energy Technologies LLC, a new energy technology start-up that aspires to transform solar energy solutions for terrestrial and space market. He is an internationally recognized leader in space systems and technology innovation, and as a highly effective manager of large-scale technology R&D programs. Mr. Mankins' 25-year career at NASA and CalTech's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) ranged from flight projects and space mission operations, to systems level innovation and advanced technology research & development management. He is also well known as an innovator in R&D management, and was one of the creators of the widely used “technology readiness level” (TRL) scale for technology assessment. Before leaving NASA, Mr. Mankins was the manager of Exploration Systems Research and Technology within the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate with responsibility for an $800M annual budget, involving more than 100 individual projects and over 3,000 personnel. For 10 years, he was the manager of Advanced Concepts Studies at NASA, and the lead for critical studies of space solar power, highly reusable space transportation, affordable human exploration approaches, and other topics. He was the creator or co-creator of numerous novel concepts, including the "MagLifter' electromagnetic launch assist system, the Internet-based NASA “Virtual Research Center” the “Solar Clipper” interplanetary transport vehicle, the “SunTower” space solar power system, the “Hybrid Propellant Module” for in-space refueling, the “HabBot” mobile planetary outpost architecture, the Advanced Technology Life cycle Analysis System (ATLAS), and others. In recognition of his accomplishments, he has received numerous awards and honors, including the prestigious NASA Exceptional Technology Achievement Medal (of which he was the first recipient). He holds undergraduate (Harvey Mudd College) and graduate (UCLA) degrees in Physics and an MBA in Public Policy Analysis (The Drucker School at Claremont Graduate University). Mr. Mankins is a member of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA), the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), and the Sigma Xi Research Society. Mr. Mankins is an accomplished communicator, including political, programmatic, technical and lay audiences. He has authored or co-authored more than 70 published papers, reports and other technical documents, and has testified before Congress on several occasions, and has been consulted on R&D management and space issues with organizations in the U.S. and internationally. For more information please contact: Mr. John C. Mankins
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