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Nuclear Innovation company Nuclear Promise X (NPX) and the Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council (CNIC) are collaborating to explore the feasibility of producing isotopes for possible use in deep space exploration applications. NPX and CNIC will undertake a study for the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to determine whether Canadian nuclear reactors and research reactors can be used to produce isotopes to power devices used in space exploration.

Date: Thursday, 11 January 2024
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newscanada-explores-use-of-isotopes-used-in-space-exploration-11426536

The text of a speech delivered by World Nuclear Association Director General Sama Bilbao y León to the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars on 8 December, considering the legacy of US President Dwight D Eisenhower's Atoms for Peace speech 70 years ago.

Date: Friday, 15 December 2023
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Viewpoint-The-legacy-of-Eisenhower-s-Atoms-for-Pea

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) is conducting two feasibility studies on nuclear propulsion for the European Space Agency, which could pave the way for missions to Mars and beyond.

Date: Friday, 23 June 2023
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/CEA-feasibility-studies-on-nuclear-propulsion-in-s

NASA has marked the 60th anniversary of the launch into space of its first nuclear-powered satellite. Transit IV-A - an experimental navigational satellite with a radioisotope-powered generator - was launched by Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory from Cape Canaveral on 29 June 1961, and NASA has since flown more than 25 missions carrying a nuclear power system.

Date: Thursday, 01 July 2021
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/NASA-marks-60-years-of-nuclear-power-in-space

The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) said on 9 April that it had awarded a $22 million contract to General Atomics to design a small nuclear reactor for space propulsion under the demonstration rocket for agile cislunar operations (Draco) project. “Cislunar” refers to space between the Earth and the moon. Draco, set up in 2020, aims to demonstrate nuclear thermal propulsion, namely, using a nuclear reactor to heat rocket fuel in order to generate thrust. In May 2020, Darpa’s Tactical Technology Office issued a “broad agency announcement” asking for proposals to test a nuclear thermal propulsion system in orbit by 2025.

Date: Tuesday, 13 April 2021
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsgeneral-atomics-to-develop-nuclear-reactor-to-power-moon-missions-8663297

NASA's Perseverance rover successfully touched down on Mars yesterday, 203 days after being launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida. The rover, which is powered by a Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) developed and fuelled in partnership with the US Department of Energy (DOE), will explore the Jezero Crater and collect samples that will eventually be returned to Earth.

Date: Saturday, 20 February 2021
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Perseverance-begins-exploring-on-Mars

The UK Space Agency (UKSA) is joining forces with Rolls-Royce for a unique study into how nuclear power and technologies could be used as part of space exploration.

Date: Friday, 15 January 2021
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsuk-space-agency-and-rolls-royce-to-co-operation-on-nuclear-propulsion-8453657

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has delivered the nuclear power system for the Perseverance rover for NASA's Mars 2020 mission which is due to launch next month. The Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) was fuelled, built and tested by DOE's national laboratories.

Date: Saturday, 13 June 2020
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Nuclear-power-system-delivered-for-Mars-rover-laun

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) yesterday announced the successful testing of a uranium-fuelled Stirling engine for use in possible future missions to Mars. Testing of the Kilopower reactor - which could be used to provide power to missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond - began at NASA's Nevada National Security Site in November 2017 and was completed in March.

Date: Thursday, 03 May 2018
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/NASA-successfully-tests-Kilopower-reactor