https://www.space.com/space-nuclear-power-tech-lockheed-martin-jetson-contract

This will be powered by NASA's Kilopower sterling engine reactor.

"The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) awarded $33.7 million to Lockheed Martin as part of the Joint Emergent Technology Supplying On-Orbit Nuclear (JETSON) effort to "mature high-power nuclear electric power and propulsion technologies and spacecraft design."

Edited November 10, 20232 yr by martin-w

2 hours ago, martin-w said:

Joint Emergent Technology Supplying On-Orbit Nuclear (JETSON)

It’s funny how some acronyms seem to be “reversed engineered” so that the acronym itself conjures up a desired image/impact/theme/feeling:

 

A propulsion system with a constant 1G acceleration would be the game changer for space travel

11 hours ago, Matthew Kane said:

A propulsion system with a constant 1G acceleration would be the game changer for space travel

 

It would, reminds me of The Expanse, great science fiction. 

This technology wont do that of course. 

This tech would get you to Mars very fast though. 45 days for nuclear thermal and even faster for nuclear electric. 

Edited November 11, 20232 yr by martin-w

$33.7 million isn't going to get them very far. $33.7 billion would be more like the kind of budget required for that kind of project, I would think. 😂

48 minutes ago, FBW737 said:

$33.7 million isn't going to get them very far. $33.7 billion would be more like the kind of budget required for that kind of project, I would think. 😂

 

May just be partly funded by NASA, or this just the first award.

Its a mini nuclear reactor that the research has already been done for, the NASA Kilopower reactor, they'll be using. Then its large scale ion thruster development, I guess.

 

https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/news/features/2023/lockheed-martin-jets-into-nuclear-electrical-spacecraft-power.html

 

Quote

 

JETSON will use a fission reactor that generates heat, which is then transferred to Stirling engines to produce between 6 kWe and 20 kWe of electricity – four times the power of conventional solar arrays without the need to be in continuous sunlight. The reactor draws heavily from the design and lessons of the 2018 Kilopower Reactor Using Stirling Technology (KRUSTY) demonstration led by NASA and the DoE’s National Nuclear Security Administration.

“A future JETSON flight experiment will enhance maneuver and power capabilities shaping future space force operations,” said Andy Phelps, CEO of SpaceNukes. “The United States has not flown a reactor in space since 1965. As the first novel reactor tested in more than 50 years, we’re giving our country a technical leap – both terrestrially and on-orbit – as well as the ability to expand future space exploration.”

This technology has the potential to produce much higher electrical output than spacecraft powered by solar panels, which generally garner about 600 watts of power, or the equivalent of six lightbulbs. For deep space exploration missions not as close to the sun, or in shadowed regions, nuclear electric-powered subsystems are a great alternative to have in a company’s power-generation toolkit.