A DARPA official said the agency canceled a space nuclear propulsion project it was jointly developing with NASA in part because the effort was overtaken by lower launch costs.

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"We are finally at the cusp for both nuclear electric propulsion and nuclear thermal propulsion," said Kristin Houston, president of space propulsion and power systems at L3Harris Technologies

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Congressional appropriators have released a final fiscal year 2024 spending bill that cuts NASA funding from what the agency received in 2023 while deferring a decision on spending for Mars Sample Return (MSR).

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BWX Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: BWXT) today announced that its reactor and fuel will be key components in the world’s first demonstration spacecraft using nuclear thermal propulsion. Working as part of […]

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NASA and DARPA have selected Lockheed Martin to develop a spacecraft to demonstrate nuclear propulsion technologies in Earth orbit later this decade.

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TRISO-X LLC (“TRISO-X”), a wholly owned subsidiary of X-Energy Reactor Company, LLC (“X-energy”) that primarily develops and designs tri-structural isotropic (“TRISO”) particle fuel, today announced the successful test of its […]

The post TRISO-X Successfully Completes Fuel Test to Power Nuclear Thermal Propulsion in Space appeared first on SpaceNews.

NASA and DARPA will cooperate on the development and flight demonstration of a nuclear propulsion system with applications for both national security and space exploration.

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As NASA finally launches the first Space Launch System mission, America is failing to invest in critical space propulsion technology needed to send astronauts to Mars.

The post Op-ed | It’s Time for Congress to Order the Nuclear Option appeared first on SpaceNews.

The Defense Innovation Unit announced May 17 it selected Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp. and Avalanche to develop small nuclear-powered spacecraft for in-space demonstrations planned for 2027.

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The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency on May 4 issued a solicitation for proposals for the next phase of a demonstration of a nuclear powered spacecraft. 

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Fred Kennedy, a former Pentagon official and veteran space executive, announced March 22 he is leading a new startup to commercialize nuclear thermal rocket propulsion. 

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Michael Leahy, director of DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office, said nuclear propulsion could give the U.S. military an advantage over enemies by making satellites more maneuverable and less vulnerable to attack.

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The Defense Innovation Unit last week issued a call for bids for small nuclear-powered engines for space missions beyond Earth orbit.

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Space vehicles powered by small nuclear reactors could be used for military missions in deep space, the vice chief of the U.S. Space Force said July 28.

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The House Appropriations Committee passed a spending bill July 15 that leaves intact overall funding for NASA but tweaks language regarding the Human Landing System and nuclear thermal propulsion.

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NASA has selected three teams of companies to perform concept studies of nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) reactors while making plans to fund similar studies for nuclear surface power systems.

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Today, we have a unique opportunity to make the entire solar system — including the strategically vital region of space surrounding the Earth and the moon — more accessible.

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DARPA awarded a $22 million contract to General Atomics to design a small nuclear reactor for space propulsion.

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NASA needs to pursue “aggressive” development of space nuclear propulsion technologies if the agency wants to use them for human missions to Mars in the next two decades, a report by a National Academies committee concluded.

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The White House released a new space policy directive Dec. 16 intended to serve as a strategic roadmap for the development of space nuclear power and propulsion technologies.

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Uncertain overall funding and congressional direction to increase funding on specific projects could create pressure on NASA’s space technology program, an agency official warned Sept. 1.

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A revised policy for approving the launch of spacecraft with nuclear power systems is the latest measure intended to support greater use of nuclear power systems in orbit and beyond.

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With congressional funding and industry support, nuclear thermal propulsion technology is making progress for potential use on future NASA deep space missions, although how it fits into the agency’s exploration architectures remains uncertain.

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