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The US Military is Getting Serious About Nuclear Thermal Propulsion

posted by martyb on Tuesday June 16 2020, @01:36AM   Printer-friendly
from the hot-stuff dept.

Phoenix666 writes:

The US military is getting serious about nuclear thermal propulsion:

[...] the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency announced its intent to have a flyable nuclear thermal propulsion system ready for a demonstration in 2025.

Through this Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations, or DRACO program, the defense agency seeks technology that will allow for more responsive control of spacecraft in Earth orbit, lunar orbit, and everywhere in between, giving the military greater operational freedom in these domains.

"Activity in cislunar space is expected to increase considerably in the coming years," Tabatha Thompson, a DARPA spokeswoman, told Ars. "An agile nuclear thermal propulsion vehicle enables the DOD to maintain Space Domain Awareness of the burgeoning activity within this vast volume."

In "Phase 1" of its solicitation, DARPA has asked industry for the designs of both a nuclear thermal reactor and an operational spacecraft upon which to demonstrate it. This initial phase of the program is to last 18 months. Subsequent phases will lead to detailed design, fabrication, ground tests, and an in-space demonstration. No contracts have yet been awarded, and award values will be determined by industry submissions.

The propulsion system is thought to make travel around the Solar System quicker.

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  • (Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Thursday June 18 2020, @11:35AM (2 children)

    by JoeMerchant (3937) on Thursday June 18 2020, @11:35AM (#1009486)

    What has already been released from the X37B?

    Things - things that go places, carrying classified cargoes. Probably not including 11kg of Pu239 (or anything else that would set off a geiger counter), yet, we would hope.

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  • (Score: 2) by turgid on Thursday June 18 2020, @01:10PM (1 child)

    by turgid (4318) Subscriber Badge on Thursday June 18 2020, @01:10PM (#1009514) Journal

    Oh, I see. It's definitely not used to, for example, keep something very nasty in orbit which can be de-orbited anywhere at the drop of a hat and used to cause mass destruction. That would be quite evil, immoral and in contravention of international law.