The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission is conducting two feasibility studies on nuclear propulsion for the European Space Agency, which could pave the way for missions to Mars and beyond.

An X-ray "flashlight" which would use an energy source based on Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation's EmberCore nuclear chargeable ceramic technology to map the lunar surface has been selected for early-stage funding under the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts programme.

Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation has delivered uranium nitride coated uranium oxycarbide tristructural isotropic fuel to NASA's Space Nuclear Power and Propulsion programme. The company says this demonstrates the "flexibility, precision and value" of its Pilot Fuel Manufacturing Facility.

UK clean space propulsion systems and services company Pulsar Fusion has formed a partnership with USA-based Princeton Satellite Systems to use artificial intelligence to design a hyper-fast space rocket capable of reaching Mars in only 30 days.

Westinghouse Electric Company and lunar landers and rovers developer Astrobotic have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore collaboration on space technology programmes for NASA and the US Department of Defense.

British engineering group Rolls-Royce has secured additional funding of GBP2.9 million (USD3.5 million) from the UK Space Agency for a project that will deliver an initial demonstration of a UK lunar modular nuclear reactor. The company plans to have a reactor ready to send to the Moon by 2029.

A coated particle fuel for nuclear thermal propulsion applications, fabricated by TRISO-X LLC, has undergone testing in extreme conditions representing those experienced in space.

Bangor University in Wales will develop a nuclear thermal fuel system to support deep space exploration with funding provided by the UK Space Agency. It is one of eight projects receiving a total of GBP1.6 million (USD1.9 million) in funding through the agency's Enabling Space Exploration fund.

The USA's National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency are to collaborate on developing and demonstrating a nuclear thermal rocket engine in space by 2027.

The UK Space Agency and the National Nuclear Laboratory are to collaborate on the world's first space battery powered by americium-241. The isotope will be extracted from used nuclear fuel stored at the Sellafield site in Cumbria.

The UK Atomic Energy Authority and the UK Satellite Applications Catapult have partnered to demonstrate how advanced remote handling and robotics technology developed for fusion energy research can be used to provide maintenance for in-orbit satellites.

The US space agency NASA has selected three design concepts for a 40KW nuclear power system designed to last at least 10 years in the lunar environment to help "lay the groundwork for powering our long-term human presence on other worlds".