Has NASA tested any nuclear thermal rocket engine after dropping the NERVA program? Is there any current ongoing mission to use nuclear power to make a rocket fly?
$\begingroup$
$\endgroup$
0
Add a comment
|
2 Answers
$\begingroup$
$\endgroup$
0
As of 2012 (Nuclear and Emerging Technologies in Space meeting at LPI) the outline of development program is as follows:
See this pdf file for links to papers.
(note: only tangible test & evaluation items listed)
Manufacture and test fuel elements in two compositions: NERVA composite, and Uranium dioxide UO2 in tungsten ceramic-metallic "cermet". Testing will be conducted at DOE facilities and at Marshall (NTR Element Environmental Simulator)
Conduct safety tests at Nevada Test Site by injecting hot gas with Krypton-85 tracer to find out if future testing will not leak radioactive particles.
After that NASA and DOE will go for approval of testing by higher-ups in 2015.
If approved, full scale testing will be started at Nevada Test Site in late 2019.
Flight technology demonstration mission is scheduled for 2023.
answered Aug 10, 2013 at 18:55
$\begingroup$
$\endgroup$
0
It was DoD, not NASA, but there was a post-NERVA nuclear rocket research program named Project TIMBERWIND.
The summary of the project at its conclusion can be gleaned from this report.
