DARPA, NASA Collaborate on Nuclear Thermal Rocket Engine

DARPA, NASA Collaborate on Nuclear Thermal Rocket Engine

Space Daily

Published

Washington DC (SPX) Jan 25, 2023

DARPA, via its Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) program, is collaborating with NASA to build a nuclear thermal rocket (NTR) engine that could expand possibilities for the space agency's future long-duration spaceflight missions. The goal is to test an NTR-enabled spacecraft in Earth orbit during the 2027 fiscal year. An NTR presents advantages over existing propulsion t

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