NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) together with DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) have selected Lockheed Martin to develop a rocket and spacecraft that will be equipped with a thermal nuclear rocket engine. A thermal nuclear rocket engine currently appears to be a viable option for long-distance space travel, such as manned missions to Mars. This solution has many advantages compared to chemical rocket engines.
Up to several times higher efficiency will allow spacecraft to travel faster to greater distances, which is crucial for flights to the red planet. Thanks to less fuel consumption, more space is freed up on the ship for valuable scientific equipment and other necessary cargo. The nuclear drive will also enable a faster trajectory change during flight and the ship will thus be better controlled.
Projekt Demonstration for Rocket to Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) (zdroj: nasa.gov)
Announced earlier this year, Lockheed Martin will work with BWX Technologies on the development, which will supply the reactor itself and the fuel. The technology is to be demonstrated by 2027 and the program was named DRACO (Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations).
The nuclear reactor will be used in the system to rapidly heat hydrogen fuel to an extremely high temperature. When heated rapidly, hydrogen rapidly expands in its gaseous state, creating thrust that is more efficient than conventional chemical rocket propulsion.
Due to concerns about the release of radioactive substances into the atmosphere, NASA and DARPA plan to allow the use of a thermal nuclear rocket engine only after reaching a “nuclear safe orbit” where the propulsion will no longer affect the Earth. In the initial stages, thermal nuclear propulsion could be used for shorter flights, for example for transport to the moon. According to Lockheed Martin’s Kirk Shireman, a safe and reusable nuclear-powered spacecraft would revolutionize cislunar missions.
2023-07-29 15:18:30
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