Roscosmos Designing Nuclear-Powered Space Tug

Roscosmos signed a contract on Dec. 10 to develop a nuclear-powered space tug, Nuklon, for flights to the Moon, Jupiter and Venus, according to Sputnik International. The $57.5 million contract is with Arsenal, a design bureau in St. Petersburg. Roscosmos wants a unique space “tug” – a transport and energy module based on a megawatt-class nuclear power propulsion system, designed to transport goods in deep space, including the creation of long-term bases on the planets.