In 1968, Phoebus 2A, the most competent space nuclear reactor to date, was initiated at the Nevada test site. This reactor could have carried the first humans to Mars. However, this potential Mars ride did not take off due to its size, the cost involved, and the prevailing view that humanity should limit its endeavors to low-Earth orbit.
Mission to Mars: A Story Unfulfilled
Phoebus 2A’s test endured for 750 seconds, validating the potential of humans voyaging to Mars. Despite this, it didn’t journey to the red planet. It was too bulky, excessively expensive, and the idea of further space exploration didn’t gel with President Nixon’s conviction that we should limit our ventures to low-Earth orbit.
Nuclear Engines and the Military
Surprisingly, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) were not the pioneers in proposing rockets propelled by nuclear engines. It was the military who initially desired them for intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). Fast forward a few decades, and these nuclear-powered ICBMs are back in the military’s purview.
The Evolution of Nuclear Thermal Rockets
Interestingly, work on these nuclear thermal rockets kickstarted with the Rover program, initiated by the US Air Force in the mid-1950s. The idea behind them was quite uncomplicated. A nuclear engine would take in tanks of liquid hydrogen and feed this hydrogen through a nuclear reactor core. The process was aimed at heating the hydrogen to scorching temperatures before expelling it through the nozzle to generate thrust. Instead of igniting the hydrogen in a combustion chamber, it was heated through its contact with a nuclear reactor.
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The military’s resurrected interest in nuclear thermal rockets signifies a shift towards innovative ways for intercontinental travel and space exploration. While the Phoebus 2A didn’t make it to Mars, its legacy left unequivocal trails for future researchers, engineers, and all space exploration enthusiasts. The strides we are making today in space technology owe a lot to these initial ventures.
This narrative is based on the current resurgence of interest in a significant space advancement software: the Demonstration for Rocket to Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO). An artist’s representation of the DRACO spacecraft illustrates the magnitude of this technology and the impact it will have going forward.
Stay tuned to our page for more updates on DRACO, the nuclear-powered ICBMs, and space exploration in general. We seek to bring you the latest news from the cosmic frontier.
So, what does DRACO mean for the future of space travel and warfare? Time will tell. However, one thing’s for sure: the exploration of outer space, once limited to our imaginations, is fast becoming a reality.