NASA is forging a nuclear path to Mars
Key takeaways
- NASA is developing Space Reactor-1 Freedom, a nuclear-powered spacecraft designed to deliver three helicopters called Skyfall to Mars.
- The mission was part of a wider announcement by the space agency called Ignition, released in March.
- Space Reactor-1 Freedom is a nuclear electric rocket, which means that it ionizes a propellant such as xenon with electricity.
Why this matters: political developments that affect policy direction and public trust.
Whittington, opinion contributor - 05/24/26 10:30 AM ET Comments: Link copied by Mark R. Whittington, opinion contributor - 05/24/26 10:30 AM ET Comments: Link copied FILE This image provided by NASA, shows a selfie of their Perseverance Mars rover, on July 23, 2024. The image is made up of 62 individual images that were stitched together. (NASA via AP, file) While NASA, along with its international and commercial partners, is going pedal to the metal back to the moon, the space agency is not neglecting Mars. In 2028, if all goes well, NASA plans to test a new technology that could reduce trip times to the Red Planet and open it up to exploration and, perhaps, human settlement.
NASA is developing Space Reactor-1 Freedom, a nuclear-powered spacecraft designed to deliver three helicopters called Skyfall to Mars. The idea is similar to the Ingenuity copter that went to the Red Planet as part of the Perseverance rover mission in 2021. Once there, the Skyfall helicopters could scout out possible landing sites for future human missions to Mars.
The mission was part of a wider announcement by the space agency called Ignition, released in March.