NASA and General Atomics have successfully tested a new type of fuel for nuclear thermal propulsion reactors, designed to operate in extreme conditions. This innovation could reduce the travel time to Mars to only 45 days, compared to over six months with current technologies.
Collaborating with General Atomics at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama, NASA aims to develop a technology that significantly decreases journey times to Mars. The new fuel is engineered to endure extremely high temperatures and a hot gaseous hydrogen environment, typical in space-operating NTP reactors.
Initial tests indicate the fuel can withstand conditions of up to 2,600 K (approximately 2,326 °C) without notable degradation, ensuring reliability for long-distance missions. If successful, nuclear thermal propulsion could become a key component in future space exploration, allowing astronauts to travel quicker to Mars and beyond.
