Rolls-Royce unveils early-stage design for space nuclear reactor

[Admin]

The company is working with the U.K. Space Agency to develop nuclear power and propulsion options for spaceflight.

Rolls-Royce unveils early-stage design for space nuclear reactor : Read more

 

[steve_foston]

Well we may as well use Uranium/Plutonium for something useful like space travel rather than nuclear bombs, etc. Russia, Chine and the USA has plenty of material that it would be good to get rid of. We are coming up to the limits using chemical propellants in rockets if we really do want to explore the solar system build an interplanetary economy and 'Ad astra'. Interesting development that will be well engineered by Rolls Royce.

 

[Benbenben]

There are actually numerous (around 30) fission based reactors in satellites in orbit around the Earth.

Dozens of dead nuclear reactors are floating in space, and they'll eventually hit the earth

Radioactive materials, like uranium-235, can power a tiny satellite for years. They're more reliable than batteries and provide more energy than solar panels.

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