NASA to Work with Military Agency on Nuclear Rocket Test Flight

NASA to Work with Military Agency on Nuclear Rocket Test Flight

The American space agency NASA is teaming up with a military research agency to develop a nuclear rocket designed to fly astronauts to Mars.

NASA recently announced it would partner with the U.S. Defense¹ Department's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) on the effort. As the military's research and development group, DARPA has historically helped lead many notable inventions, including the beginnings of the internet.

NASA Administrator² Bill Nelson said the first nuclear-powered rocket test flight could be launched as soon as 2027.

The developing technology is called nuclear thermal³ propulsion. A rocket powered with this technology can travel much faster than with traditional chemical propulsion systems.

NASA has long studied nuclear thermal propulsion for possible use for space travel. But its last engine tests using the technology took place more than 50 years ago. The government ended the development program for budget reasons and because of tensions linked to the Cold War.

NASA has said with nuclear thermal propulsion, a trip to Mars could be completed in three to four months. This compares to about seven months with chemical propulsion. Building nuclear-powered rockets would permit more crewed trips and improve the safety of astronauts, the space agency says. Shorter trips would also require less equipment and other supplies.

Reducing travel times will be an important part of NASA's future plans. It expects to increase the number of crewed flights as it seeks to send humans back to the moon by the mid-2020s and later to Mars.

Nelson said in a statement, "With the help of this new technology, astronauts could journey to and from deep space faster than ever - a major capability⁴ to prepare for crewed missions to Mars."

Nuclear thermal propulsion engines operate at a far higher energy density⁵ and are twice as efficient as rocket engines, officials say.

The U.S. Department of Energy describes on its website how a nuclear thermal propulsion system works. It needs a radioactive material like uranium and another element, such as hydrogen, in liquid form. This forms a propellant that is forced through the central part of a nuclear reactor⁶. This causes uranium atoms to break apart inside the reactor and release heat. The heat turns the propellant into gas, which expands through an opening to produce thrust.

This kind of energy reaction, called fission⁷, is necessary to create the extremely high temperatures needed to push heavy spacecraft during far trips.

DARPA and the U.S. Department of Energy have already been jointly⁸ developing a nuclear thermal propulsion system to be used during a demonstration⁹ test flight. In 2021, DARPA awarded money to contractors¹⁰ General Atomics, Lockheed Martin and Blue Origin to study designs of nuclear reactors¹¹ and spacecraft.

Tabitha Dodson oversees¹² DARPA's efforts on the test program. She told Reuters news agency that by March, the agency is expected to choose a company to build the nuclear spacecraft for the 2027 demonstration.

NASA said it plans to continue studying and developing modern space nuclear technologies for other areas of the space program. This includes plans to put nuclear reactor power systems on the moon, and later Mars, to support future human space activities.

Words in This Story

thermal – adj. relating to heat

propulsion – n. a force that moves something forward

journey – n. a long trip

mission – n. the flight of a spacecraft to perform a task or job

efficient – adj. working well and not wasting time and energy

propellant – n. an explosive substance of fuel that causes something to move forward

thrust – n. upward push or force

1 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

2 administrator   

n.经营管理者，行政官员

参考例句：

• The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
• He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。

3 thermal   

adj.热的，由热造成的；保暖的

参考例句：

• They will build another thermal power station.他们要另外建一座热能发电站。
• Volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools.火山活动产生了温泉和沸腾的泥浆池。

4 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

5 density   

n.密集，密度，浓度

参考例句：

• The population density of that country is 685 per square mile.那个国家的人口密度为每平方英里685人。
• The region has a very high population density.该地区的人口密度很高。

6 reactor   

n.反应器；反应堆

参考例句：

• The atomic reactor generates enormous amounts of thermal energy.原子反应堆发出大量的热能。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules.在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

7 fission   

n.裂开；分裂生殖

参考例句：

• The fission of the cell could be inhibited with certain chemicals.细胞的裂变可以通过某些化学药品加以抑制。
• Nuclear fission releases tremendous amounts of energy.核裂变释放出巨大的能量。

8 jointly   

ad.联合地，共同地

参考例句：

• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。
• She owns the house jointly with her husband. 她和丈夫共同拥有这所房子。

9 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

10 contractors   

n.（建筑、监造中的）承包人( contractor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Contractors winning construction jobs had to kick back 2 per cent of the contract price to the mafia. 赢得建筑工作的承包商得抽出合同价格的百分之二的回扣给黑手党。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 reactors   

起反应的人( reactor的名词复数 )； 反应装置； 原子炉； 核反应堆

参考例句：

• The TMI nuclear facility has two reactors. 三哩岛核设施有两个反应堆。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• The earliest production reactors necessarily used normal uranium as fuel. 最早为生产用的反应堆，必须使用普通铀作为燃料。

12 oversees   

v.监督，监视( oversee的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She oversees both the research and the manufacturing departments. 她既监督研究部门又监督生产部门。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Department of Education oversees the federal programs dealing with education. 教育部监管处理教育的联邦程序。 来自互联网