US military gives Lockheed Martin $33.7 million to develop nuclear spacecraft

[Admin]

The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory just awarded $33.7 million to Lockheed Martin to help 'mature high-power nuclear electric power and propulsion technologies and spacecraft design.'

US military gives Lockheed Martin $33.7 million to develop nuclear spacecraft : Read more

 

[sciencecompliance]

33 million dollars? That doesn't sound like that much money to be honest.

 

[COLGeek]

33 million dollars? That doesn't sound like that much money to be honest.

In the DoD sense of things, it isn't. Budget dust.

 

[fj.torres]

Remember the DOD has two budgets. The $33M comes out of the public one. It establishes that Lockheed is doing something in that (ahem) space. It doesn't mean it's the only money they get.

The real question is what DOD wants that for.
The oficial answer is the high orbitals but what for?

 

[Classical Motion]

That didn't take long. I would say our new space force needs a dependable, long lasting electrical supply for propulsion and "defensive measures".....without the need for solar panels and batteries.

Both capable of extended or far ranging missions.

Not dependent on sunlight or storage devices. And lots of juice whenever you need or want it.