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Westinghouse Electric Company and lunar landers and rovers developer Astrobotic have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore collaboration on space technology programmes for NASA and the US Department of Defense.
- Source: World Nuclear News
- Date: Saturday, 03 June 2023
- Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Westinghouse,-Astrobotic-team-up-on-space-projects
Each contract is worth approximately $5m and will last one year.
One contract will go to BWX Technologies, working with Lockheed Martin. A second contract will go to General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems, working with X-energy and Aerojet Rocketdyne. The third will go to Ultra Safe Nuclear Technologies, working with its parent company, Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation, as well as Blue Origin, General Electric Hitachi Nuclear Energy, General Electric Research, Framatome and Materion.
All three studies are focused on developing a design for a reactor that would be part of a future NTP system. That reactor would heat up a propellant such as liquid hydrogen, generating thrust at far higher efficiencies than conventional propulsion systems and enabling shorter transit times for missions to Mars.
- Source: Nucnet
- Date: Friday, 16 July 2021
- Original article: nucnet.org/news/nasa-announces-funding-for-three-thermal-propulsion-reactors-7-4-2021
Three reactor design concept proposals for a nuclear thermal propulsion system for deep space missions have been selected by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Department of Energy (DOE). The reactor will be a critical component of a nuclear thermal engine, which would utilise high-assay low-enriched uranium fuel.
- Source: World Nuclear News
- Date: Thursday, 15 July 2021
- Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/NASA-selects-reactor-concepts-for-deep-space-explo
The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on 30 July launched the Perseverance Mars from Cape Canaveral in Florida. The rover is expected to land on Mars in February 2021. It will be powered by a Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) developed at the Department of Energy's (DOE’s) Idaho National Laboratory (INL). NASA said the rover, was powered by the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V 541 rocket. ULA is the only space launch provider certified to handle Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs), according to ULA president and CEO, Tory Bruno. NASA certifies the rocket, but NASA and DOE together certify the provider to carry a nuclear payload, he explained.
- Source: NEI Magazine
- Date: Tuesday, 04 August 2020
- Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsnasas-new-mars-rover-powered-by-rtgs-8059097
Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC (BEA), the managing and operating contractor for the US Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory, has issued a request for information (RFI) on a fission surface power (FSP) system that can be operated on the Moon.
- Source: World Nuclear News
- Date: Tuesday, 28 July 2020
- Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/INL-seeks-industry-partners-for-lunar-nuclear-powe