17 December 2020
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The US Administration has issued a new directive on the use of nuclear power and propulsion in space.
Space Policy Directive-6 (SPD-6) establishes high-level goals, principles, roles and responsibilities, and a supporting roadmap demonstrating the nation s commitment to the safe, effective and responsible use of space nuclear power and propulsion (SNPP) systems.
Illustration of a Mars transit habitat and nuclear propulsion system (Image: NASA)
A White House memorandum issued yesterday establishes a national strategy to ensure the development and use of SNPP systems, which can power spacecraft for missions where alternative power sources are inadequate - for example, environments that are too dark for solar power or too far away to carry sufficient quantities of chemical fuels. SNPPs include radioisotope power systems, which use radioactive decay to generate electrical power or heat, and nuclear reactors, which generate energy through nuclear fission, typi
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