The UK space agency is aiming to send a spacecraft to Mars in roughly half the time it takes now to reach the Red Planet, using nuclear-powered engines to be built by Rolls Royce. It said its research with the engineering company will explore the “game-changing potential” of nuclear power to send astronauts to Mars in just three to four months — twice the speed of chemical engines that power our rockets today — making deep space exploration possible in the decades to come. The research, if successful, could revolutionize space travel.
Dr Graham Turnock, chief executive of the UK Space Agency, said “space nuclear power and propulsion is a game-changing concept that could unlock future deep-space missions that take us to Mars and beyond.” It would not only save time but also radically reduce the radiation exposure to astronauts who would be making future trips to Mars.
