ESA nuclear propulsion spacecraft could be flying by 2035
RocketRoll demonstrator spacecraft could test Nuclear Electric Propulsion for space exploration by 2035
The European Space Agency has developed a candidate design for a demonstrator spacecraft that could flight test Nuclear Electric Propulsion systems for deep space missions by 2035.
The RocketRoll consortium has submitted the design as part of a technology roadmap to develop a Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP) system capable of sending European spacecraft to Mars and beyond for manned expeditions.
The candidate RocketRoll spacecraft design would demonstrate NEP’s viability and launch in 2035.
With its high energy density, NEP offers speed, autonomy, and flexibility advantages compared to chemically-fueled spacecraft propulsion systems. Nuclear propulsion technology could enable longer-duration missions, potentially shaping the future of interplanetary exploration.
RocketRolls consortium-member Tractebel, which has experience in nuclear engineering said it will drive the development of NEP technology alongside its partners.
Brieuc Spindler, space product owner at Tractebel said, “I am proud to lead such an important initiative in nuclear electric propulsion, which could enable exploration and in-space logistics in Earth Orbit and beyond on a scale that neither chemical nor electrical propulsion could ever achieve.