The promise of nuclear thermal propulsion

摘要

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."