Latest News

Filters

Filter by tags: Spacecraft Clear all tag filters

57 news articles found


The UK Space Agency is funding two nuclear projects as part of the second phase of investment awarded through its £20m ($25m) International Bilateral Fund (IBF). Rolls-Royce and BWXT receive £1.18m for their collaboration on fission nuclear systems for space power missions. The University of Leicester and its international partners receive more than £783,000 to identify a range of mission opportunities for UK space nuclear power technologies. The collaboration also includes the development of hybrid power systems with existing US conversion technologies.

Date: Thursday, 11 April 2024
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsuk-space-agency-funding-benefits-two-nuclear-projects-11671339

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 Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council (CNIC) and nuclear innovation company Nuclear Promise X (NPX) will explore the feasibility of using Canadian nuclear reactors to produce plutonium-238 (Pu-238) for use in deep space exploration.

Date: Saturday, 06 January 2024
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Canadian-collaboration-to-explore-isotope-producti

Rolls-Royce unveiled a nuclear Space Micro-Reactor Concept Model at the UK Space Conference in Belfast. It is part of the UK Space Agency backed research programme to deliver an initial demonstration of a UK lunar modular nuclear reactor. In March, Rolls-Royce secured funding of £2.9m ($3.65m) from the UK Space Agency to support research into how nuclear power could be used to support a future Moon base for astronauts.

Date: Friday, 08 December 2023
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsrolls-royce-unveils-model-of-space-microreactor-11354896

The results of a UK Space Agency backed research programme have been unveiled by Rolls-Royce, with the company saying it aims to have a micro-reactor ready to send to the Moon by the early 2030s.

Date: Tuesday, 05 December 2023
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Moon-base-micro-reactor-concept-unveiled-by-Rolls

The shipment earlier this year of heat source plutonium-238 from the US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to its Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) represents a critical step toward fuelling planned space missions with radioisotope power systems, NASA had said.

Date: Thursday, 30 November 2023
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsnasa-moves-closer-to-use-of-plutonium-238-to-power-space-missions-11335593

France’s Framatome has announced the launch of Framatome Space “putting its 65 years of nuclear and industrial expertise at the service of the space industry”. Framatome CEO Bernard Fontana said the company is proud to be part of the new age of space travel. “We already supply the space industry with domes for the tanks of launchers and hafnium for the hardened alloys for spacecraft. With the creation of Framatome Space we are taking things to the next level,” he noted, “The space industry is looking to nuclear to facilitate faster and more efficient missions. Who better than Framatome, with over six decades of experience and expertise in nuclear power, to contribute to the next giant leap for mankind?”

Date: Thursday, 26 October 2023
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsframatome-launches-framatome-space-11242883

?US Space Nuclear Power Corporation (SpaceNukes) has teamed with Lockheed Martin Corporation and BWX Technologies for participation in the Space Force/Air Force Joint Emergent Technology Supplying On-orbit Nuclear Power (JETSON) project. This is part of an Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Space Vehicles Directorate programme.

Date: Thursday, 26 October 2023
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsspacenukes-partnership-wins-contract-to-develop-reactors-for-space-vehicles-11242893

With nuclear technology set to underpin new developments in space travel, NASA has awarded Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation a contract to manufacture and test fuel and develop the design of a nuclear thermal propulsion engine for near-term missions. Separately, Space Nuclear Power Corporation has partnered with Lockheed Martin Corporation and BWX Technologies for the US Space Force/Air Force's JETSON nuclear electric propulsion demonstration project, while Framatome has announced the creation of a new brand, Framatome Space.

Date: Saturday, 21 October 2023
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Nuclear-companies-sign-up-for-space-technology-mis