By Theresa Hitchens on April 19, 2021 at 12:54 PM Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO), DARPA image WASHINGTON: DARPA’s effort to develop nuclear ‘engines’ for far-roving satellites also hopes to demonstrate the capability to keep “timely” tabs on spacecraft operating near the Moon, says program manager Maj. Nathan Greiner. While cislunar surveillance doesn’t require nuclear-propulsion, such a spacecraft could move more rapidly into position to monitor targets of interest. It might also mean the spacecraft would be able to remain active for a longer period thanks to the fuel. “Some of this is classified, so this answer must be rather general,” he said in an email, explaining that the Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) program has two key goals: