Nuclear thermal rocket

NASA Announces Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Reactor Concept Awards

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, July 13, 2021
Energy technology, Energy, Nuclear physics, Nuclear technology, Energy conversion, Nuclear chemistry, Nuclear reprocessing, Nuclear thermal rocket, Nuclear reactor, Nuclear propulsion, Nuclear power, Nuclear fuel

The government teamhas selected three reactor design concept proposals for a nuclear thermal propulsion system.

Key Points: 
  • The government teamhas selected three reactor design concept proposals for a nuclear thermal propulsion system.
  • The reactor is a critical component of a nuclear thermal engine, which would utilize high-assay low-enriched uranium fuel.
  • "INL is excited to enable the development of nuclear propulsion technology for potential use by NASA in future space exploration," said Dr. Stephen Johnson, national technical director for space nuclear power and director of the Space Nuclear Power and Isotope Technologies Division at INL.
  • Maturing fission surface power can also help inform nuclear electric propulsion systems, another candidate propulsion technology for distant destinations.

Think About Taking Your First US Nuclear Fusion Powered Trip to Mars and Back

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, March 2, 2021
Exploration of Mars, Spaceflight, Human missions to Mars, Human mission to Mars, Outer space, Nuclear propulsion, Nuclear thermal rocket, NASA, Robotics, Discovery and exploration of the Solar System, Mars, Mars to Stay

Sooner than you think, human engineers and adventurers may be building the first town on Mars.

Key Points: 
  • Sooner than you think, human engineers and adventurers may be building the first town on Mars.
  • While we have made great strides in robotics technology, the next step in the journey is sending humans to Mars.
  • In order to send a crewed mission to Mars, NASA is focusing on nuclear electric or nuclear thermal propulsion systems for minimizing the time and fuel it takes to travel to Mars and back.
  • Nuclear fusion can be used for both thermal nuclear propulsion and electric nuclear propulsion, and it is estimated that it would only take 3 months to reach Mars using a fusion powered propulsion system.

Ultra Safe Nuclear Technologies Delivers Advanced Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Design To NASA

Retrieved on: 
Monday, October 19, 2020
Energy technology, Articles, Nuclear physics, Nuclear technology, Energy conversion, Nuclear power, Nuclear fuel, Nuclear thermal rocket, Draft:Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation

SEATTLE, Oct. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Ultra Safe Nuclear Technologies (USNC-Tech) has delivered a design concept to NASA as part of a study on nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) flight demonstration.

Key Points: 
  • SEATTLE, Oct. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Ultra Safe Nuclear Technologies (USNC-Tech) has delivered a design concept to NASA as part of a study on nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) flight demonstration.
  • Advancements in nuclear fuel design and passive safety measures pioneered by Ultra Safe Nuclear (USNC, USNC-Tech's parent company) with Fully Ceramic Micro-encapsulated (FCM) fuel enabled USNC-Tech to create a novel NTP concept with specialized performance capabilities.
  • A subsidiary of Ultra Safe Nuclear, Ultra Safe Nuclear Technologies ( USNC-Tech ) designs and deploys advanced nuclear technologies for space exploration and other operations in remote and extreme environments.
  • Since 2015, USNC-Tech has collaborated closely with NASA and other US Government agencies and industry partners to mature space nuclear power and propulsion technologies.