DARPA Nuke Sat To Target Cislunar Monitoring Mission
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 peri...