(Washington) NASA and the US military said Wednesday they have chosen the manufacturer Lockheed Martin to develop and design a nuclear-powered rocket, with the idea of using this technology for future missions to Mars.
The program, based on advanced nuclear thermal propulsion technology, aims for a first test flight in space as early as 2027, officials said.
According to NASA, a nuclear-powered thermal rocket could be three to four times more efficient than conventionally fueled rockets and reduce travel time, an essential part of getting to the red planet.
In a thermal nuclear rocket, a nuclear fission reactor produces very high temperatures.
This heat is transferred to a liquid fuel, turned into a gas and – as in a conventional rocket – this is expelled through a nozzle to provide thrust.
“These nuclear thermal propulsion systems are more powerful and efficient allowing faster transit between two destinations,” commented Kirk Shireman, vice president in charge of lunar exploration at Lockheed Martin’s space division.
However, he added, “reducing travel time is vital for human missions to Mars in order to limit the crew’s exposure time to radiation”.
The firm BWX Technologies will be responsible for the design of the nuclear reactor.
Shireman said the technology could also “revolutionize” future missions to the Moon, where NASA plans to build a lunar base as part of its Artemis program.
NASA conducted tests of a nuclear rocket more than 50 years ago, but the project was halted due to budget cuts and Cold War tensions.
