Both NASA and the US DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) have recently revealed their cooperation to explore how nuclear thermal rockets navigate through space. Such rockets may significantly reduce the time it takes for space travel to Mars.
According to SciTechDaily, both organizations will collaborate on the DRACO (Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations) program. This agreement is set to be advantageous for the two agencies. It also lays out the processes, roles, and responsibilities for making the development faster.
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Will Nuclear Thermal Rockets Make a Difference For Space Travel to Mars?
Science Alert reports how such nuclear-powered rockets are not new. While there were experiments conducted in the 1950s, none of them took the craft to another level by letting it move through space.
Now, given the plans for humans to reach Mars by the 2030s, such an idea is being revisited once more to see if it could significantly shorten the usual travel time of around seven months.
NASA notes how utilizing such a kind of rocket enables transit time to be shortened and thus, reduces the risks for astronauts. Shortening this period is key for future space travel to Mars because longer travels need more supply and systems that are more robust.
Aside from this, NASA also notes that such a technology will also benefit space travel by resulting in heightened scientific payload capacity. It will also lead to more power for communication and instrumentation. Within this type of rocket lies a fission reactor that is utilized for the generation of remarkably high temperatures. This heat is then transferred by the engine to a propellant that is liquid. This propellant then expands and gets exhausted by a nozzle, allowing the spacecraft to be propelled.
Compared to conventional propulsion through chemicals, nuclear thermal rockets are at least three times more efficient.
NASA-DARPA Collaboration
As part of their agreement, the STMD (Space Technology Mission Directorate) of NASA will direct the engine's technical development for it to be integrated with the trial spacecraft of the DARPA.
The DARPA will serve as the development's contracting authority for the complete phase as well as the engine. The agency will direct the program, including the integration of rocket systems, security, scheduling, approvals, cover safety, and procurement. It will also make sure that the engine is integrated and assembled.
DARPA director Dr. Stefanie Tompkins expresses how the two agencies have a long history of collaborating with each other to advance technologies. Dr. Tompkings notes how the field of space is crucial to national security, modern commerce, and scientific discovery. Being able to meet such advances through the DRACO program will be important for the efficient and quick transit of material toward the moon. Eventually, people can reach Mars faster as well.
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