NASA and U.S. millitary allegedly working on possible Nuclear powered rockets with the deadline of its first test launch is around year 2027.
A nuclear rocket engine is a type of rocket engine that uses nuclear reactions to generate the heat needed to produce thrust. Unlike conventional rocket engines, which use chemical reactions to generate heat, a nuclear rocket engine uses a nuclear reactor to heat up a propellant, typically hydrogen, which is then expelled through a nozzle to produce thrust.
The use of nuclear reactions offers several advantages over chemical reactions, including higher specific impulse (i.e. more efficient propulsion), the ability to operate at high temperatures, and the ability to generate high thrust levels. This makes nuclear rocket engines well-suited for deep space missions, such as missions to Mars, where long-duration, high-speed propulsion is needed.
However, nuclear rocket engines also have several disadvantages, including the technical challenges of designing and building a safe and reliable nuclear reactor, and the potential safety and environmental risks associated with the use of nuclear reactions. Further research is needed to fully understand the benefits and limitations of nuclear rocket engines and to determine if they can be successfully developed and used for space missions.
there is no current active development of nuclear rocket engines by any major space agencies or private space companies for manned missions. The development of nuclear rocket engines has been limited primarily to research and development projects, and there have been several experimental tests conducted in the past. However, these tests have been limited in scope and duration and have not resulted in a operational nuclear rocket engine.
There has been some recent interest in the development of nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) for crewed missions, but these efforts are in the early stages of research and development. The development of NTP is challenging due to the technical and safety issues associated with the use of nuclear reactions, but some believe that NTP has the potential to greatly enhance deep-space exploration capabilities.
It is possible that future developments in technology and engineering may lead to a revival of interest in nuclear rocket engines, and it is likely that further research will be conducted in this area in the coming years. However, at this time, it remains an area of technology with many technical and regulatory challenges to overcome before it can be considered for use in crewed missions.
