Nuclear energy has lost its popularity worldwide, but the sky is the limit when it comes to outer space. The U.S. government is relying on the expertise of Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin space project, General Electric Hitachi Nuclear Energy, and other companies to develop nuclear-powered spacecraft capable of traveling faster and further to Mars and beyond. NASA and the Department of Energy have awarded three contracts worth $5 million for the production of reactor design concepts that could be used to transport people and cargo to Mars or send scientific missions to the outer reaches of the solar system, according to a statement from the space agency. Among the companies involved in this project are defense contractors Lockheed Martin and Aerojet Rocketdyne, as well as General Atomics, which manufactures drones, and BWX Technologies, which produces nuclear components and fuel. Jim Reuter, deputy associate administrator for NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate, stated in the announcement, "These design contracts represent a significant step toward tangible reactors that could one day drive new missions and exciting discoveries." Nuclear propulsion systems are more efficient than standard chemical rocket propellants, suggesting they promise faster travel for more ambitious missions deeper into space, according to NASA. Nuclear energy currently accounts for about 10% of the world's electricity, down from a peak of 18% in the mid-1990s.
**Potential Risks**
Developing technology for space travel may take several years and could face significant obstacles. While nuclear power plants have been used for decades in submarines and aircraft carriers, placing one on an explosive rocket poses significant risks. These nuclear space efforts come amid a resurgence in off-planet activity, with the U.S. government exploring Mars and planning its first crewed mission to the Moon in decades. At the same time, billionaire-backed companies are racing to commercialize space tourism. Virgin Galactic completed an orbital spaceflight test last Sunday, carrying its founder Richard Branson, while Bezos, the founder of Amazon, plans to travel to space next week aboard a Blue Origin rocket. General Electric has produced many reactors dating back to the 1970s and 1980s that derive power from boiling water, which remains at the core of the U.S. nuclear portfolio. Recently, the company has specialized in smaller reactors that do not require the same infrastructure through its joint venture with Hitachi. Interest in developing larger nuclear energy has slowed in recent years due to high costs and backlash following the Fukushima reactor meltdown in Japan in 2011.
