Close British spacecraft could fly to Mars in half the period it takes now. British luxury car and aircraft engine maker Rolls-Royce collaborated with the UK Space Agency to create nuclear propulsion engines. The aerospace corporation hopes that the nuclear-powered engines will help astronauts hit Mars in at least three months and unlock deeper exploration of space in the decades to come. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons) In this illustration, a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft approaches the International Space Station for docking. NASA is partnering with Boeing and SpaceX to build a new generation of human-rated spacecraft capable of taking astronauts to the station and expanding research opportunities in orbit. SpaceX's upcoming Demo-1 flight test is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Transportation Capability contract to return human spaceflight launch capabilities to the United States.