NASA’s Nuclear Focus Aimed At 2009 Mars Lander
By Brian Berger
Space News Staff Writer
posted: 07:00 am ET
18 February 2004
WASHINGTON, D.C. - NASA’s nuclear future promises more maneuverable, longer-lasting spacecraft and rovers with more onboard power than scientists know what to do with. Nuclear propulsion and power systems also could greatly reduce travel times to distant planets and supply energy to future planetary settlements, said Al Newhouse, director of NASA’s Project Prometheus nuclear power and propulsion program.
In the near term, Newhouse said, NASA’s nuclear ambitions are focused on building a better battery for an unmanned lander launching to Mars in 2009 and a nuclear-electric propulsion system for a planned 2015 robotic tour of Jupiter’s icy moons. NASA plans to spend more than $480 million in 2005 to continue work begun last year on a new generation of radioisotope power generators as well as nuclear-electric propulsion systems capable of producing thrust over long periods of time...
NASA’s Nuclear Focus Aimed At 2009 Mars Lander
The whole thread (18 posts)
- NASA’s Nuclear Focus Aimed At 2009 Mars Lander
- getting there will be half the fun
- Skycrane landing system
- It was very difficult scaling an airbag solution up to MER-size
- testability ( - is that a word?)
- Skycrane landing system
- getting there will be half the fun