WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 27th July, 2023) NASA and the Defense Department's own advanced technology development agency have selected Lockheed Martin to build a prototype nuclear-powered rocket to carry a human crew at higher than ever speeds to Mars, the US space agency announced in a press release on Wednesday.
"NASA and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced Wednesday Lockheed Martin of Littleton, Colorado, as the prime contractor for the design, build, and testing of NASA and DARPA's nuclear-powered rocket demonstration, in collaboration with other industry partners," the release said.
The Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) program will test a nuclear-powered rocket in space as soon as 2027, the release said.
"Working with DARPA and companies across the commercial space industry will enable us to accelerate the technology development we need to send humans to Mars. This demonstration will be a crucial step in meeting our Moon to Mars objectives for crew transportation into deep space," NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melrose said in the release.
NASA and DARPA have already joined forces on the DRACO program to advance nuclear thermal rocket technology, the release said. For NASA, nuclear propulsion is one of the Primary capabilities on the roadmap for crewed missions to Mars, allowing a shorter, faster trip to the Red Planet, the release added.
BWX Technologies in Lynchburg, Virginia will design and build the nuclear fission reactor that will power the engine, according to the release.
