
Is this the moment for in-space nuclear power?
From Planetary Radio: Space Policy Edition by The Planetary Society
August 1, 2025 · 1h 10m
About this episode
Dr. Bhavya Lal discusses the critical role of in-space nuclear power in enabling human presence on Mars and the Moon during the 2020s.
Dr. Bhavya Lal argues that the 2020s are a decisive decade for in-space nuclear power. Without nuclear, humans may never be more than visitors on Mars or the Moon.
People in this episode
Guest: Dr. Bhavya Lal
Topics covered
- nuclear power
- space exploration
- Mars
- Moon
- 2020s
- space policy
Keywords
- in-space nuclear power
- space exploration
- Mars
- Moon
- 2020s
- human presence
- nuclear energy
More episodes of Planetary Radio: Space Policy Edition
- A proposal to stifle American science · June 5, 2026 · 52 min
- Why humans matter — The philosophy of Artemis II · May 1, 2026 · 1h 19m
- Return to Launch — Cape Canaveral's unlikely history · April 3, 2026 · 1h 13m
- Is there really a space race between the US and China? · March 6, 2026 · 1h 9m
- What a NASA Authorization bill actually does · February 6, 2026 · 1h 1m
- Change for the Sake of Disruption at NASA · January 2, 2026 · 1h 11m
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Planetary Radio: Space Policy Edition podcast page.