NASA working to streamline development of nuclear electric propulsion demo mission

NASA announced plans March 24 to develop Space Reactor 1 (SR-1) Freedom, a mission to Mars demonstrating nuclear electric propulsion. Credit: NASA

WASHINGTON — NASA is working on a streamlined management approach for a nuclear electric propulsion demonstration mission the agency wants to launch in two and a half years.

NASA announced the Space Reactor 1 (SR-1) Freedom mission at its Ignition event in March. The mission would be the first flight demonstration of nuclear electric propulsion, with a nuclear reactor providing power to electric thrusters to send the spacecraft to Mars.

Unlike some other initiatives announced at Ignition, including a lunar base and proposed changes to support commercial space stations, NASA has provided few updates on SR-1 Freedom since the event, even though the agency said then it plans to launch the mission at the end of 2028.

At a June 2 meeting of the National Academies’ Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board and Space Studies Board, NASA officials said the agency discussed planning for SR-1 Freedom at a management council meeting the previous day.