NASA has a strong interest in nuclear thermal power for future Mars missions. Traditional chemical rockets currently take up to seven months or more to reach Mars, exposing astronauts to prolonged periods of radiation and potential mental health issues. Nuclear thermal power would significantly reduce travel time, making missions safer and enabling the carriage of more scientific equipment.
The main challenge of Mars missions is the vast distance between Earth and Mars, with the planets only being on the same side of the sun every 26 months. Even at their closest points, a spacecraft aiming for Mars would need to travel hundreds of millions of miles on an elliptical orbit around the sun.
Kirk Shireman, Lockheed Martin’s Vice President of Lunar Exploration Campaigns, emphasized the importance of higher thrust propulsion for further space exploration. The development of nuclear thermal power represents a crucial step towards achieving this goal.
According to NASA, nuclear propulsion is a key capability for sending astronauts to Mars. It would enable faster journeys and make missions less complex and safer for the crew. Additionally, nuclear-powered rockets require significantly less propellant compared to chemical rockets, allowing for the transportation of additional scientific equipment.
The Pentagon is also interested in more efficient fuel sources for space travel, particularly for building maneuverable satellites that are harder to target. DARPA stated that this technology would enable the transportation of larger payloads to more distant locations in cislunar space, requiring a significant advancement in propulsion technology.
Nuclear thermal power involves using a fission-based nuclear reactor to heat hydrogen to extreme temperatures, which is then expelled through an engine nozzle to generate thrust. Lockheed Martin assures that the reactor will only be activated once the spacecraft has reached a safe orbit to ensure safety.
During a briefing, it was announced that the test engine will be launched from Cape Canaveral using either SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket or United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan-Centaur rocket. Lockheed Martin is collaborating with BMX Technologies to develop the reactor and produce the fuel.
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