Jeff Thornburg
Aerospace engineer and CEO of Portal Space Systems with experience at the Air Force, NASA, Aerojet, and SpaceX; discusses propulsion, maneuverable spacecraft, and commercial/defense space challenges.
Best podcasts with Jeff Thornburg
Ranked by the Snipd community
66 snips
Sep 30, 2025 • 1h 7min
The New Space Race with Jeff Thornburg
In this discussion, aerospace engineer Jeff Thornburg, CEO of Portal Space Systems and a veteran of Air Force, NASA, and SpaceX, shares his insights on the future of space. He highlights the importance of developing highly maneuverable spacecraft and advanced propulsion systems. Jeff discusses the evolution from government-built rockets to commercial alternatives, the lessons learned from failures, and the critical role of R&D funding. He also touches on the potential for AI and quantum propulsion to revolutionize space travel, envisioning a future where lunar travel is as commonplace as a bus ride.
Dec 13, 2025 • 38min
Uncommon Thinkers 2025: Solar spacecraft, sci-fi biology, destroying PFAS, beyond AI chatbots, and better social media
Join innovators Jeff Thornburg, CEO of Portal Space Systems, who’s developing a solar-powered spacecraft for rapid space logistics, and Anindya Roy, co-founder of Lila Biologics, who’s using AI to design novel cancer-fighting proteins. Jay Graber of Bluesky discusses building a decentralized social network for user empowerment, while Kiana Ehsani at Vercept aims to replace traditional input methods with efficient AI agents. Lastly, Brian Pinkard from Aquagga shares his tech for destroying harmful PFAS chemicals in wastewater, pushing for a cleaner future.
