NASA and DARPA team up to go nuclear in hopes of putting boots on Mars
US research agencies NASA and DARPA are teaming up to create a nuclear thermal rocket engine in hopes the tech will one day carry crewed missions to Mars.
The Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations is expected to prove nuclear thermal propulsion by 2027. DARPA has been working on an experimental spacecraft design for the project since 2021. NASA now joins to tackle the engine's technical development while DARPA will continue leading the overall program, inclusive of integrating the systems, procurement, schedules, security, and assembly of the engine and spacecraft.
The shortened travel time is expected to reduce the potential for adverse incidents and amount of supplies that need to be brought along, particularly for manned missions. This leaves room for more scientific payload. The bonus is that the high temperatures generated by the fission reactor can be transferred to a liquid propellant expanded and exhausted through a nozzle to propel the spacecraft. Such nuclear propulsion systems are known to be three times more efficient than conventional chemical ones.
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