NASA's Future Crewed Mission to Mars Depends on Developing Nuclear Thermal Propulsion

NASA's Future Crewed , Mission to Mars Depends on , Developing Nuclear Thermal Propulsion.
Ars Technica reports that the United States
announced its intention to develop a flyable nuclear
thermal propulsion system nearly three years ago.
The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's
(DARPA) aim was to develop more responsive controls
of spacecraft in Earth orbit, lunar orbit and in between. .
The project is part of an effort to give the U.S.
military greater operational freedom in space. .
The operation has been dubbed
the Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar
Operations, or DRACO project for short.
Ars Technica reports that the program
includes building both a nuclear fission
reactor and a spacecraft to fly it.
In 2021, General Atomics was
awarded $22 million by DARPA
to work on developing the reactor.
Meanwhile, Lockheed Martin and Blue Origin
were awarded an additional $5.4 million to
develop the project's spacecraft system. .
Meanwhile, Lockheed Martin and Blue Origin
were awarded an additional $5.4 million to
develop the project's spacecraft system. .
According to a 2019 report, NASA's only hope
for putting humans on Mars in the near future
is by developing nuclear propulsion.
Ars Technica reports that nuclear thermal
propulsion requires significantly less fuel
than other means of chemical propulsion.
NASA will work with our long-term
partner, DARPA, to develop and
demonstrate advanced nuclear
thermal propulsion technology
as soon as 2027, Bill Nelson, NASA Administrator, via Ars Technica.
With the help of this new technology, astronauts could journey to and from deep space faster than ever, a major capability to prepare for crewed missions to Mars, Bill Nelson, NASA Administrator, via Ars Technica.
With the help of this new technology, astronauts could journey to and from deep space faster than ever, a major capability to prepare for crewed missions to Mars, Bill Nelson, NASA Administrator, via Ars Technica