A New Push for Nuclear Energy in Space

Remember when President John F. Kennedy captivated the nation with his 1961 vow to land a man on the moon? That monumental promise paved the way for an ambitious American space odyssey. Yet, lurking behind that audacious lunar goal was another equally radical ambition: harnessing nuclear power to revolutionize space travel.

Kennedy declared an additional $23 million for the development of the Rover nuclear rocket, hinting at a future where exploration could extend beyond the moon—potentially even to the far reaches of our solar system. At that very moment, U.S. agencies were already diving into the nuclear frontier, contemplating how atomic energy could propel spacecraft faster than traditional chemical rockets could manage.

Exploring the Nuclear Landscape

Fast forward to today—NASA’s current ambitions echo those early dreams with the Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO), aiming to create a nuclear thermal rocket that drastically shortens travel times to Mars by 2027. But decades of promises for nuclear power in space have yielded remarkably little. Bhavya Lal, former NASA Associate Administrator, lamented that despite pouring nearly $20 billion into nuclear power initiatives since the 1950s, we’re left with just a 100-watt radioisotope generator—comparable to the power of a household light bulb.

The Voyager Legacy and New Horizons

The Voyager spacecraft—our only messengers beyond the solar system—utilize plutonium-238 decay for power, generating just enough electricity to operate critical systems. Similarly, NASA's New Horizons probe, which zoomed past Pluto, struggled with power limitations, capturing only fleeting data instead of conducting extensive studies.

A Compelling Call to Action

Lal and collaborator Roger Myers are gearing up to address this gap with their forthcoming report titled "Weighing the Future: Strategic Options for U.S. Space Nuclear Leadership," funded by the Idaho National Lab. This comprehensive analysis will explore nuclear fission's landscape, assessing both government needs and emerging market opportunities.

"We need nuclear power if we want to conduct meaningful science beyond Mars," Lal stated. With the vastness of space offering limited solar energy, the case for nuclear becomes increasingly compelling as we ponder future missions.

Commercial Ventures and New Horizons

While NASA contemplates its strategy, private companies are positioning themselves for the nuclear revolution. Kristin Houston, president of L3Harris, confidently declared that we are on the brink of breakthroughs in both nuclear electric and thermal propulsion. The company is closely watching NASA’s Fission Surface Power program, designed for lunar and Mars operations.

The Need for Power in Space