SpaceX launches Transporter 17 carrying BOHR, 1st commercial nuclear-powered satellite
On July 8, 2026, SpaceX's Transporter-17 mission sent 81 satellites into orbit, but the real head-turner was BOHR, the first commercial nuclear-powered satellite.
Built by City Labs, BOHR uses a special system called NanoTritium that creates steady energy from tritium (a radioactive form of hydrogen), but the NanoTritium system is only powering a payload demonstration; the satellite itself still relies on solar power for general operations.
BOHR secures FAA nuclear launch approval
BOHR was made to solve problems with solar panels and battery life in space, especially where sunlight cannot reach.
It is also the first of its kind to get Federal Aviation Administration approval for a nuclear launch, opening doors for more nuclear-powered missions.
City Labs CEO Peter Cabauy says this tech could be huge for powering spacecraft and Moon bases in places where solar just will not cut it.