NASA announced last week that it had signed a critical collaboration. The collaboration involved conducting nuclear engine tests for actual and future Mars missions with DARPA*, which is responsible for developing new technologies for the US military.
While the first infrastructure was created for nuclear tests, which are critical for the future of the space age, a new share came from a private company today. Rolls-Royce shared the first image of the nuclear reactor that will power the bases planned to be built on the Moon.
Rolls-Royce’s nuclear reactor to power the Moon:
Rolls-Royce’s nuclear reactor may seem irrelevant to many considering the familiar side of the company. But the company, which has worked on aircraft engines and rocket engines until now, has also been working on a small modular reactor since 2015.
The nuclear reactor, of which Rolls-Royce shared its image, will be an extension of the modular reactors it has developed. The reactor will be named “Rolls-Royce Micro-Reactor”. The company only shared the following information about the reactor:
“The Rolls-Royce Micro-Reactor is designed to use an inherently safe and extremely robust form of fuel. Each uranium particle is coated with multiple protective layers that act as a containment system that enables it to withstand extreme conditions.”
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*DARPA: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
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