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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: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 16 2020, @03:28AM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 16 2020, @03:28AM (#1008471)

    Yeah... I can see doing a full power low altitude flyover of a few Asian and Mid-East countries.

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 17 2020, @02:29AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 17 2020, @02:29AM (#1008993)

    You say shit like this and then cry like a baby when people ironically mock your "white genocide" trope. Glad psychopaths like you are rarely given such power.

    https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/boy-scouts-america-backs-black-lives-matter-will-require-diversity-n1231189 [nbcnews.com]

    Oh shit! Can't wait to see you idiots come out of the woodwork screeching like flaming cockroaches when it hits SN. Hmm, actually with this editorial crew it just might get buried.