Space Policy Edition: Is this the moment for in-space nuclear power?

The 2020s will be a decisive decade for in-space nuclear power. So argues Dr. Bhavya Lal, whose new report reframes the conversation around a simple idea: power, not propulsion, is nuclear's most immediate and disruptive capability. Power is what enables humans to stay and build on distant locales; without an abundance of it, she warns, we will never be more than visitors. But in an era of super heavy-lift capability, does this vision still require a nuclear solution, or can we simply brute-force our future in space with cheaper alternatives? Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/bhavya-lal-space-nuclear-powerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.