New technology could mean faster trips to Mars with more payload and less bulky fuel requirements
In a statement, NASA said that nuclear propulsion “is a key capability on NASA’s road map to send astronauts to Mars. A nuclear-powered rocket would enable faster trips to the Red Planet, making missions less complex and safer for crew. This type of engine requires significantly less propellant than chemical rockets, so missions would be able to carry additional scientific equipment.”
But nuclear technology could make complicated refuelling less necessary to maintain the frequent trips of cargo and supplies NASA anticipates as the U.S. presence on the moon becomes more permanent. NASA hopes to have astronauts on the moon by 2025, but over time it intends to establish bases on the moon, as well as a space station that would orbit the moon and serve as a waystation for astronauts headed to the lunar surface.
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