WORLDTECHNASA Moves SR-1 Freedom's Nuclear Power Module Forward Under New Contract Actions
NASA reports progress on the nuclear power module of Space Reactor-1 (SR-1) Freedom, a spacecraft meant to demonstrate nuclear electric propulsion in deep space. The mission was announced during the agency's Ignition event.
Contract actions target the power conversion system
NASA and its partners have mutually agreed on key contract actions intended to accelerate work on the spacecraft. One contracted element is the closed Brayton cycle power conversion system of the nuclear power module, which takes thermal energy from the fission reactor and produces the electrical power needed for the propulsion demonstration.
That work is carried out under the Space Flight Systems Development and Operations Contract III, awarded in 2024. It covers the design, development, testing and operation of spaceflight hardware at NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland.
Idaho laboratory builds the reactor
The power conversion system is to be integrated with a fission reactor that the Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory is designing and developing. Joined together, the two elements complete the nuclear power module.
NASA describes SR-1 Freedom as humanity's first fission-powered spacecraft to travel beyond Earth's orbit. Bound for Mars and further, it is to deliver a science payload called SkyFall.
Open questions
- When will the nuclear power module be ready for integration?
- What launch date has been set for SR-1 Freedom?