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A nuclear thermal rocket (NTR) is a type of thermal rocket where the heat from a nuclear reaction replaces the chemical energy of the propellants in a chemical rocket. In an NTR, a working fluid , usually liquid hydrogen , is heated to a high temperature in a nuclear reactor and then expands through a rocket nozzle to create thrust .
Nuclear thermal rockets can provide great performance advantages compared to chemical propulsion systems. Nuclear power sources could also be used to provide the spacecraft with electrical power for operations and scientific instrumentation. [12] Examples: NERVA (Nuclear Energy for Rocket Vehicle Applications), a US nuclear thermal rocket program
The Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion ... was a 2.5 MW th thermal-spectrum nuclear reactor experiment designed to attain a high power density and high output temperature ...
NASA will partner with the U.S. military's research and development agency, DARPA, to develop a nuclear thermal propulsion engine and launch it to space "as soon as 2027," NASA administrator Bill ...
Examples of concepts that use nuclear power for space propulsion systems include the nuclear electric rocket (nuclear powered ion thruster(s)), the radioisotope rocket, and radioisotope electric propulsion (REP). [6] One of the more explored concepts is the nuclear thermal rocket, which was ground tested in the NERVA program.
NASA will test a nuclear-powered rocket for space travel. The technology could speed up a manned trip to Mars from the current seven-month minimum to 45 days.
According to Lockheed Martin and BWXT, there are considerable efficiency and time gains from the nuclear thermal propulsion. [10] [11] NASA believes the much higher efficiency will be two to three times more than chemical propulsion, [5] and the nuclear thermal rocket is to cut the journey time to Mars in half. [12]
The U.S. military is giving Lockheed Martin $33.7 million to make a nuclear-powered spacecraft. Here are the details.