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34 news articles found
NASA has completed the initial phase of its Fission Surface Power Project, which sought to develop concept designs for a small, electricity-generating nuclear fission reactor that could be used during a future demonstration on the Moon and to inform future designs for Mars.
- Source: NEI Magazine
- Date: Thursday, 08 February 2024
- Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsnasa-completes-initial-phase-of-lunar-nuclear-reactor-project-11494315
Final design to be chosen in 2025, says agency
- Source: Nucnet
- Date: Tuesday, 06 February 2024
- Original article: nucnet.org/news/nasa-extends-contracts-for-lunar-reactor-development-in-preparation-for-next-project-phase-2-1-2024
US-based Zeno Power has selected Westinghouse Electric Company to process radioisotopes to fabricate its heat sources for its radioisotope power systems (RPSs). Zeno is working to bring its first commercial RPSs to market by 2026. Zeno’s work with Westinghouse will build upon its nuclear demonstration at the US Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in October 2023. The demonstration confirmed that Zeno's patented innovation increases the specific power (Wth/kg) of its Sr-90 heat source compared with historic Sr-90 heat sources.
- Source: NEI Magazine
- Date: Saturday, 27 January 2024
- Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newszeno-selects-westinghouse-to-fabricate-heat-sources-for-radioisotope-power-systems-11465305
Contracts also signed by companies in US
- Source: Nucnet
- Date: Saturday, 21 October 2023
- Original article: nucnet.org/news/framatome-launches-new-brand-in-bid-to-play-decisive-role-10-5-2023
US-based Westinghouse Electric Company and Astrobotic have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore collaboration on space technology programmes for NASA and the Department of Defense. The focus will be on space nuclear technology and delivery systems and will also include strengthening the space nuclear supply chain and workforce in the Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia regions.
- Source: NEI Magazine
- Date: Thursday, 08 June 2023
- Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newswestinghouse-and-astrobotic-to-collaborate-on-space-technology-10918933
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
NASA and the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) are to collaborate on development of advanced nuclear thermal propulsion technology for rocket engines. 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.
- Source: NEI Magazine
- Date: Friday, 27 January 2023
- Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsnasa-and-darpa-to-develop-nuclear-rocket-engines-10546261
The USA's National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) are to collaborate on developing and demonstrating a nuclear thermal rocket engine in space by 2027.
- Source: World Nuclear News
- Date: Thursday, 26 January 2023
- Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/NASA-to-test-nuclear-nuclear-rocket-engine-for-man
BWX Technologies (BWXT) has celebrated the landmark production of TRISO nuclear fuel that will power the first microreactor built and operated in the USA. The event was attended by officials from the US Department of Defense (DOD), Department of Energy (DOE), NASA and Idaho National Laboratory (INL).
- Source: NEI Magazine
- Date: Wednesday, 14 December 2022
- Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsbwxt-starts-production-of-triso-fuel-for-us-microreactor-10431260
Nuclear In Space / Nasa Chooses Three Companies To Produce Concepts For Fission Surface Power System
The companies are Pennsylvania-based Westinghouse Electric Company; Maryland-based Lockheed Martin; and Texas-based X, a joint venture of Intuitive Machines and X-Energy.
The 12-month contracts are valued at $5m each and will fund the development of initial design concepts for a 40-kW class fission power system planned to last at least 10 years in the lunar environment.
Nasa said fission systems, which are relatively small and lightweight compared to other power systems, could enable continuous power regardless of location, available sunlight, and other natural environmental conditions. A demonstration of such systems on the Moon would pave the way for long-duration missions on the Moon and Mars.
- Source: Nucnet
- Date: Tuesday, 12 July 2022
- Original article: nucnet.org/news/nasa-chooses-three-companies-to-produce-concepts-for-fission-surface-power-system-7-1-2022