GoKawiilNASA is sending a nuclear-powered spacecraft to Mars. Alongside Tuesday's announcement of its new Ignition program, which features a planned Moon base and a successor to the International Space Station, the agency revealed the SR-1 Freedom, set to launch in 2028 as the first nuclear-powered craft to leave low Earth orbit.
First, SR-1 Freedom will act as a tech demonstration to show that a nuclear-powered spacecraft is a viable option. If it works, it opens the possibility of deeper space exploration by addressing the range limitations imposed by solar power and liquid fuel.
SR-1 Freedom is also responsible for delivering the Skyfall payload to Mars. Skyfall is a team of helicopters that will scour Mars with sensors to find subsurface ice. It's no secret that Mars harbors water far beneath the surface, but NASA aims to find a large enough pocket of ice near the surface to help sustain human life in future missions.
The SR-1 Freedom will house a nuclear reactor, an electric propulsion system and some huge heat sinks. NASA
It's not NASA's first attempt to solve nuclear space travel. The agency has spent $20 billion over more than a dozen failed attempts with only one nuclear reactor to show for it, which is the SNAP-10A that launched into low Earth orbit in 1965. It operated for 43 days before a high-voltage failure shut it down. The SNAP-10a remains in polar orbit to this day.
The reactor will be at the front of the spacecraft, with the electronics and propulsion system at the back to help keep the reactor from damaging them. NASA
What we know about the SR-1 Freedom
Steve Sinacore, NASA Fission Surface Power program director, told reporters in a news conference that NASA would select a launch vehicle from the available stock and that there would be regulatory and inspection proceedings with the Interagency Nuclear Safety Review Board before any selection.
NASA plans to begin developing hardware for the SR-1 Freedom once the design is finalized. This is expected to take roughly 18 months, with assembly beginning in January 2028. Reactor fueling, texting and assembly will continue until the SR-1 Freedom arrives at its launch site in October 2028.
SR-1 Freedom is targeting a December 2028 launch, as it's the next available Mars launch window after the one opening in late 2026. The nuclear-electric engine is expected to produce over 20 Kilowatt-electric units and will be integrated with existing spacecraft technology to make the launch timing more realistic.
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