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Related Topic: Space

GA delivers HALEU-fuelled reactor concept for Mars mission

GA delivers HALEU-fuelled reactor concept for Mars mission

A design concept for a nuclear thermal propulsion reactor to power future astronaut missions to Mars has exceeded key performance parameters and optimised the reactor for manufacturability, General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems has announced. The reactor's features include a compact core thanks to the use of high-assay low-enriched uranium fuel.
 
 

New Nuclear 17 September 2020

Nuclear-powered rover takes off for Mars

Nuclear-powered rover takes off for Mars

NASA's Perseverance Mars rover successfully launched today from Cape Canaveral in Florida. The rover, which will be powered by a Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator developed at the US Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory, will land on Mars to begin exploration in February 2021.

New Nuclear 30 July 2020

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GA delivers HALEU-fuelled reactor concept for Mars mission

Nuclear power system delivered for Mars rover launch

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INL seeks industry partners for lunar nuclear power system

Nuclear-powered rover takes off for Mars

Nuclear 'a stepping stone' to space exploration

Nuclear space hopper an option for Mars

NASA officials updated on nuclear thermal propulsion

Mars 2020 rover gets radioisotope fuel

INL seeks industry partners for lunar nuclear power system

INL seeks industry partners for lunar nuclear power system

Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC, the managing and operating contractor for the US Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory, has issued a request for information on a fission surface power system that can be operated on the Moon.

New Nuclear 27 July 2020

Nuclear power system delivered for Mars rover launch

Nuclear power system delivered for Mars rover launch

The US Department of Energy has delivered the nuclear power system for the Perseverance rover for NASA's Mars 2020 mission which is due to launch next month. The Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator was fuelled, built and tested by DOE's national laboratories.

New Nuclear 12 June 2020

Mars 2020 rover gets radioisotope fuel

Mars 2020 rover gets radioisotope fuel

Fuelling of a radioisotope-based power system for NASA's Mars 2020 rover has begun. The Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator - or MMRTG - uses heat from the natural radioactive decay of plutonium-238 to generate electricity as well as maintaining the rover's systems at the proper operating temperatures.

New Nuclear 01 August 2019

NASA officials updated on nuclear thermal propulsion

NASA officials updated on nuclear thermal propulsion

BWX Technologies, Inc yesterday hosted officials from NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate for progress updates and technology demonstrations related to BWXT’s nuclear thermal propulsion programme.

New Nuclear 10 October 2018

Cosmic recycling

Cosmic recycling

Man has been sifting through trash for millennia, but the extraction of americium-241 waste from the UK's stockpile of civilian plutonium takes the exercise to a whole new dimension. Am-241 - a decay product of plutonium-241 - is the most prevalent isotope of americium in long-term stored plutonium and is currently considered to be waste.

Perspectives 21 July 2014

Sky is the limit for US-Russia cooperation

Sky is the limit for US-Russia cooperation

Russia and the USA have agreed to cooperate on a range of nuclear-related research areas such as safeguards, security, fast reactors - and "defence from asteroids."

Nuclear Policies 17 September 2013

NASA plans its next Mars rover

NASA plans its next Mars rover

Launch 2020 rover (NASA) 67x48A nuclear power source is likely to sustain NASA's next exploration of Mars - a robot that will take a package of samples for return to Earth and address gaps in the knowledge required for manned exploration.

Other News 12 July 2013

Nuclear rocket puts Mars within reach

Nuclear rocket puts Mars within reach

Man on Mars (NASA) 48Space travel to Mars and beyond may only be possible through the use of nuclear rocket technology, NASA suggests. Such spacecraft would be much faster than conventional craft, cutting the length of the mission and thereby reducing radiation exposure to astronauts.

Other News 31 May 2013