Lockheed Martin was awarded $33.7 million from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to develop a nuclear electric spacecraft for the Joint Emergent Technology Supplying On-Orbit Nuclear (JETSON) High Power program. The latter is currently in a preliminary design review stage, with the option to go to critical design review level.
This spacecraft will make use of a fission reactor that generates heat, which is then transferred to Stirling engines to produce between 6 kWe and 20 kWe of electricity, or four times the power of traditional solar arrays without the need to be in continuous sunlight. Eventually, this technology will have the potential to produce a greater electrical output than spacecraft powered by solar panels, making it perfect for deep space missions.
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Nuclear fission development for space applications is key to introducing technologies that could dramatically change how we move and explore in the vastness of space. From high-power electrical subsystem and electric propulsion, to nuclear thermal propulsion or fission surface power, Lockheed Martin is focused on developing these systems with our important government agencies and industry partners,” said Barry Miles, JETSON program manager and principal investigator, at Lockheed Martin.
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