previous ideas called for fitting the entire nuclear electric radiator system under a rocket fairing, or nose cone, which covers and protects a payload. Fully deployed, the heat dissipating ...

Nozzle Cooling: Test a small water-cooling system for the rocket nozzle using high-temperature heat sources (like plasmas) to mimic the heat of a nuclear reaction. Check if it can handle the heat ...

While this latest test doesn’t make nuclear-powered rocket engines viable just yet, it’s an important step on the journey. This latest batch of tests was conducted at the compact fuel element ...

As humanity’s ambitions to send humans to Mars grow, the challenge of getting there in a timely and safe manner becomes more ...

designed to regulate the intense heat generated by the nuclear reactor. The system uses liquid metal coolant, such as a sodium-potassium alloy, circulated through massive radiator panels.