Nuclear rocket could cut Mars trip to just over a year
Scientists are developing a new kind of nuclear rocket, called the Centrifugal Nuclear Thermal Rocket (CNTR), that nearly doubles the specific impulse of older nuclear engines and is four times better than chemical rockets.
It works by spinning liquid uranium at high speeds to heat up fuel, reaching a specific impulse of about 1500 seconds.
CNTR can use different fuels
If this tech works out, astronauts could get to Mars in just over a year instead of waiting 2.5-3 years with today's rockets.
The CNTR can use different fuels—even ones found on asteroids or comets—meaning longer missions and less time exposed to space radiation.
While the design is still being perfected (researchers hope for design readiness in five years), it's a big step toward making deep space travel safer and faster for future explorers.