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?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

US-based BWX Technologies (BWXT) has been contracted to develop the reactor and fuel for the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA’s) Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO), which will use nuclear thermal propulsion. As part of a team led by Lockheed Martin, BWXT Advanced Technologies is to complete final design of the nuclear reactor, manufacture the reactor’s hardware and fuel, assemble the components and deliver the fuelled reactor as a complete subsystem.

Date: Wednesday, 16 August 2023
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsbwxt-reactor-and-fuel-selected-for-darpa-space-project-11074621

The USA's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has finalised an agreement with Lockheed Martin to begin work on the fabrication and design of an experimental nuclear thermal rocket and its engine. BWX Technologies, one of Lockheed Martin's partners in the effort, will develop the nuclear reactor and fabricate the HALEU fuel.

Date: Thursday, 27 July 2023
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/BWXT-to-begin-work-on-DRACO-engine-and-fuel

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.

Date: Thursday, 26 January 2023
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/NASA-to-test-nuclear-nuclear-rocket-engine-for-man

The European Space Agency (ESA) has awarded a contract to Belgian company Tractebel to evaluate the possibility of producing plutonium-238 (Pu-238) for use in space exploration. Separately, US company X-energy, working as part of a General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) team, is to develop key fuel fabrication processes in support of a first-of-a-kind rocket powered by nuclear thermal propulsion under a contract awarded by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

Date: Thursday, 02 September 2021
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/European-and-US-nuclear-companies-contribute-to-sp

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.

Date: Thursday, 15 July 2021
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/NASA-selects-reactor-concepts-for-deep-space-explo

Ultra Safe Nuclear Technologies (USNC-Tech) - a subsidiary of Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC) - is providing "critical support" to both prime contractors in the first phase of the Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) programme to develop a nuclear thermal propulsion system (NTP) for cislunar operations. USNC-Tech is the only company participating in both tracks of the programme.

Date: Saturday, 19 June 2021
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/USNC-subsidiary-supporting-cislunar-rocket-contrac

The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded contracts for the first phase of its Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) programme to demonstrate a nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) system above low Earth orbit in 2025. General Atomics will carry out reactor development work, while Blue Origin and Lockheed Martin will develop spacecraft concept designs.

Date: Wednesday, 14 April 2021
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Companies-contracted-to-develop-US-space-nuclear-p

Russia’s Troitsk Institute of Innovative and Thermonuclear Research (Triniti) in Moscow plans to build a new thermonuclear reactor by 2030, Deputy Director General Kirill Ilyin told Strana Rosatom on 9 February.

Date: Tuesday, 16 February 2021
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsrussias-troitsk-institute-pushes-ahead-with-thermonuclear-and-plasma-research-8519913

Space travel to Mars and beyond may only be possible through the use of nuclear rocket technology, NASA suggests. Such spacecraft would be much faster than conventional craft, cutting the length of the mission and thereby reducing radiation exposure to astronauts.

Date: Friday, 31 May 2013
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Nuclear-rocket-puts-Mars-within-reach

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