Researchers have reported new progress in developing a liquid uranium-fueled rocket engine, a Centrifugal Nuclear Thermal Rocket (CNTR). “The Centrifugal Nuclear Thermal Rocket (CNTR) is a ...

Take tanks of liquid hydrogen and use turbopumps to feed this hydrogen through a nuclear reactor core to heat it up to very ... 2020, DARPA entered the chat and said, “We want a nuclear rocket ...

The $499 million mission will be the first test in orbit of a nuclear spacecraft, NASA announced. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it ...

Whereas a traditional rocket works on burning fuel to generate thrust, a nuclear rocket works like a miniaturized nuclear plant. A liquid propellant like hydrogen moves through a reactor core.

NASA and the US military said Wednesday they had selected defense contractor Lockheed Martin to develop a nuclear powered rocket, with a view to using the technology for missions to Mars.

More information: Dale Thomas et al, Addressing challenges to engineering feasibility of the centrifugal nuclear thermal rocket, Acta Astronautica (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2025.05.007 ...

DARPA says that DRACO’s proposed solid core nuclear thermal rocket temperatures could reach almost 5000 degrees fahrenheit, requiring use of advanced materials. It will use high-assay low-enriched ...

In 1959, NASA took over from the USAF, and the program entered a new phase dedicated to spaceflight applications. This eventually led to the Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application (NERVA ...

Iran launches rocket into space carrying its heaviest-ever payload, as security experts remain concerned by its "drastically" increased stockpiles of enriched uranium near nuclear weapons grade ...