(KERO) — Nuclear power could help transport humans to Mars one day.
NASA and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency want to create an engine that would rely on a nuclear reactor to provide the thrust needed to propel a rocket through space. They tried to develop this type of technology before, however, the program stalled.
The space agency said the first tests could happen as soon as 2027 on Tues, Jan 24.
"Recent aerospace materials and engineering advancements are enabling a new era for space nuclear technology, and this flight demonstration will be a major achievement toward establishing a space transportation capability for an Earth-Moon economy,” said Jim Reuter, Associate Administrator for the Space Technology Mission Directorate, through a NASA press release.
