National Space Society Chairman Mark Hopkins held a press
conference this morning in which he unveiled more details of the
Kalam-NSS Initiative, a joint U.S.-Indian effort aimed at
building clean space-based solar power satellites. Hopkins said
that the program would combine American technology and low-cost
Indian manufacturing to generate jobs and clean energy in both
countries. A vibrant space solar power program would make the
nations net energy exporters instead of importers. The first
step will be a bilateral conference at the Von Braun Center in
Huntsville in May. It will involve 15-25 top researchers from
each country, Hopkins said during a press event in Washington,
D.C. Joining Hopkins in the press conference by phone were: Dr.
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the former president of India who is
chancellor of Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology;
co-principal investigator T.K. Alex, director of the ISRO
Satellite Centre; and American co-principal investor John
Mankins, president of the Space Power As