WASHINGTON, United States (US): NASA said on Tuesday that it will launch the first nuclear-powered interplanetary spacecraft to Mars before 2028 to move the US forward in bringing nuclear power to space, reported Sputnik/RIA Novosti.
“NASA will launch the Space Reactor‑1 Freedom, the first nuclear powered interplanetary spacecraft, to Mars before the end of 2028, demonstrating advanced nuclear electric propulsion in deep space,” the statement read.
When SR-1 Freedom reaches Mars, it will deploy the Skyfall payload of Ingenuity‑class helicopters to continue exploring Mars, the space agency added.
“SR-1 Freedom will establish flight heritage nuclear hardware, set regulatory and launch precedent, and activate the industrial base for future fission power systems across propulsion, surface and long‑duration missions,” NASA explained.
The nuclear electric propulsion system makes possible efficient mass transport in deep space and flights beyond Jupiter, where solar arrays are ineffective, it noted.
In order to implement the project, the agency is converting thousands of contractor positions to civil service, which will help ensure NASA’s efficiency to ensure continued superiority of the US in space, the statement added. – BERNAMA-SPUTNIK/RIA NOVOSTI
