"Expanding our partnership to nuclear propulsion will help drive forward NASA's goal to send humans to Mars." "NASA has a long history of collaborating with DARPA on projects that enable our respective missions, such as in-space servicing," said NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy. Nuclear thermal rockets can be three or more times more efficient than conventional chemical propulsion. The engine transfers the heat produced by the reactor to a liquid propellant, which is expanded and exhausted through a nozzle to propel the spacecraft. In a nuclear thermal rocket engine, a fission reactor is used to generate extremely high temperatures. Other benefits to space travel include increased science payload capacity and higher power for instrumentation and communication. Maturing faster, more efficient transportation technology will help NASA meet its Moon to Mars Objectives, NASA notes. “Reducing transit time is a key component for human missions to Mars, as longer trips require more supplies and more robust systems. “With the help of this new technology, astronauts could journey to and from deep space faster than ever," says NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.Ī nuclear thermal rocket will enable faster transit time, reducing risk for astronauts. The aim is to demonstrate advanced nuclear thermal propulsion technology by 2027. It outlines roles, responsibilities, and processes aimed at speeding up development efforts. NASA said the non-reimbursable agreement is designed to benefit both agencies. NASA and DARPA will partner on the Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) programme with a view to enabling NASA crewed missions to Mars. NASA and the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) are to collaborate on development of advanced nuclear thermal propulsion technology for rocket engines.
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