Simmons reports in 2020 that the United States is pursuing the objective of landing humans on Mars, more than 100 million miles away, and nuclear power has the potential to be a key technology in getting them to the Red Planet and providing power while they are there. Specifically, nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) is a promising approach that could enable astronauts to travel from Earth’s orbit to Mars and back in a fraction of the time, and with greater safety, than is possible with other options.
NTP technology development is under way at BWX Technologies (BWXT) in Lynchburg, Va., where NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine and a number of his staff members recently visited. “When we plant that American flag on Mars,” Bridenstine said, “it is very likely that that mission is going to go through Lynchburg, Virginia, because of BWXT.” The technology NTP is not a new concept. It has been researched over a number of years for multiple space programs. “The concept behind nuclear thermal propulsion is pretty straightforward,” said Jonathan Witter, BWXT’s chief engineer for its NTP program. “Nuclear power, using a low-enriched uranium fission power source, quickly heats super-cooled liquid hydrogen supplied from a propellant tank. As that hydrogen expands rapidly at high pressure, it is directed via a nozzle out of the spacecraft with a specific impulse approximately double that of a chemical liquid rocket engine. That gives the vehicle a tremendous amount of thrust as it leaves Earth’s orbit and heads to Mars, and then later makes the return trip.” Of course, other technologies can be used for the same purpose, but NTP has a number of important advantages. Using NTP, a spacecraft traveling to Mars can get there faster, reducing the astronauts’ exposure to cosmic radiation. What’s more, each reactor
would be roughly the size of a 55-gallon drum, which is another key consideration given that every cubic foot counts on a spacecraft.
NTP is not a scientific novelty. Rather, it is recognized as a promising technology at the highest levels of the U.S. government. When BWXT’s president and chief executive officer, Rex Geveden, testified last year before the National Space Council, both Bridenstine and Vice President Mike Pence were listening. “America has the nuclear technological capabilities right now to push the boundaries of human exploration on the moon and further on to Mars,” Geveden said. “Many space exploration and operations problems require that high-density power be available at all times or on call, and there is a class of such problems for which nuclear power is the preferred, if not the only, solution. Technology is rapidly evolving to make relatively low-cost nuclear reactors that are not just attractive alternatives to other space power options, but also the means to accomplish things that were not possible before.”
While BWXT is continuing its work to develop NTP technologies, the company’s work could also translate into providing power systems for operations after a spacecraft lands, a scope of work that goes beyond NTP. Not only could nuclear power get astronauts to Mars, but it could also provide the power needed to explore the planet’s surface and communicate back to Earth. Ken Camplin, BWXT’s president for nuclear services, who has overall responsibility for BWXT’s space nuclear technology development efforts, said, “Nuclear power is one of several technologies that are options for propulsion to Mars and sustainment of life once we arrive, and BWXT is working hard every day to demonstrate that it can be a go-to choice for NASA. If this becomes a chosen technology for getting humans to Mars and powering their work while they are there, it won’t be just a victory for BWXT—it will be a victory for everyone in the nuclear industry.
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