DRACO: Nuclear Fission powered Spacecraft of NASA

January 25, 2023

DARPA of the USA is working on nuclear fission-powered spacecraft along with NASA called the DRACO. DARPA is Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency. And DARPA is the research and development wing of the US military. Just like the DRDO of India. DARPA is to launch the DRACO Spacecraft. DRACO stands for Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations. DRACO is to run on nuclear fission reaction. This is considered a big leap in the space industry as no nuclear rockets have been launched till 2021. The USA began testing the technology in 1955. Due to a lack of funds, the project was stalled.

Nuclear Thermal Rocket

The rocket that uses a nuclear fission reactor to fly is called a nuclear thermal rocket. No country on earth has succeeded in this technology. China, Russia, and USA are space racing on the technology. India has not yet started working on the technology.

Significance

The nuclear thermal rocket is faster than the conventional rockets being used today. With the world expanding its space exploration, the need has come for faster space travel. Rockets take more time traveling to another planet. For instance, the JUICE spacecraft of Europe to be launched in 2023 will reach Jupiter in 2034. Almost, 11 years. More time is wasted on traveling. Nuclear fission-powered rockets will help scientists reduce traveling time greatly.

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