NASA’s nuclear Dragonfly drone is designed to explore Titan, while ESA’s nuclear-powered rocket may eventually embark on deep space missions. Researchers from both the European Space Agency (ESA) and OHB Czechspace will spend the next eleven months developing a nuclear-based electric propulsion (NEP) system that should push the physical limits of traditional in-space propulsion that uses electric with solar power.
Why are Nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) systems one of the most effective transit mechanisms to celestial bodies outside of our solar system? They utilize a reactor to generate electricity that positively charges gas propellants like xenon or krypton, thus pushing the ions out through a thruster, which in turn drives the spacecraft forward. By using low thrust efficiently, nuclear electric propulsion systems can accelerate spacecraft for extended periods.
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The use of nuclear-based electric propulsion for demanding space missions has been addressed in a number of studies in the past. Thanks to the current technologies, this topic is once again relevant within Europe. In fact, nuclear propulsion can be more efficient than the most efficient chemical propulsion or overcome solar-limited electric propulsion, enabling exploration of places no other technology can reach. This is a big challenge for future space missions beyond our Solar System, for example,” said Dr. Jan Frรฝbort, Principal Investigator of Nuclear Technology of the NEP Vehicle.
