USNC supports two DARPA Awards to Design Cislunar Nuclear Thermal Propulsion System
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, June 10, 2021— The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) recently awarded contracts to General Atomics (Track A, $22M) and Blue Origin (Track B, $2.5M) with Ultra Safe Nuclear Technologies (USNC-Tech) providing critical support to both prime contractors in the first phase of the Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) program. DRACO will develop a nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) system for cislunar operations, targeting a full-scale, on-orbit demonstration in 2025. USNC-Tech is the only company participating in both Track A and Track B teams.
USNC-Tech will support General Atomics and Blue Origin in their efforts to create a pathway to the first on-orbit demonstration of an NTP system in history. Over the course of 18 months, the teams will develop the foundational NTP reactor and spacecraft concept designs for DRACO. Phase 1 will consist of two tracks: Track A, focused on the baseline design of the NTP reactor, and Track B, focused on the operational spacecraft upon which to demonstrate it. Subsequent phases will lead to the detailed design, manufacture, ground tests, and an in-space demonstration of the DRACO NTP system.
“This is a remarkable moment for NTP development and for our company,” said Dr. Paolo Venneri, Executive Vice President of USNC-Tech. “Our selection to participate in not one but two teams for the DRACO program shows the strength of our ability to design and analyze these high-performance systems.”
Activity in cislunar space is rising as space agencies and companies around the world pursue new lunar ambitions. To ensure the accessibility of cislunar space for U.S. government and commercial activities, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) must develop new degrees of orbital mobility. DRACO will provide the DoD with an entirely new propulsion technology capable of outpacing and outmaneuvering existing propulsion systems. The high thrust-to-weight ratios and degree of propellant efficiency characteristic of NTP systems will enable rapid-response capabilities, a core principle of the DoD’s general strategy, throughout cislunar space. DRACO ensures the DoD’s NTP system will be ready for deployment as commercial capabilities solidify and as American astronauts return to the Moon.
“The United States must emerge as the leader in cislunar space, and our innovative NTP technologies will empower our commercial, NASA, and national security customers to accomplish just that,” said Dr. Michael Eades, Director of Engineering at USNC-Tech and company lead for reactor development in Track B.
As highlighted in the recent study of space nuclear propulsion systems completed by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, some of DRACO’s technological achievements could contribute to NASA’s development of an NTP system for its first human missions to Mars. By requiring the use of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) in DRACO, the DoD will support the maturation of critical technologies, supply chains, and talent pools directly applicable to the NTP system that NASA is partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to produce.
“Even with the difference in scale of engine and spacecraft, a successfully demonstrated DRACO NTP can directly influence and speed up demonstration of a NASA NTP,” said Dr. Vishal Patel, Analysis Lead at USNC-Tech and company lead for spacecraft development in Track A.
If you would like to learn more about USNC-Tech’s NTP technologies, please email us at communications@usnc-tech.com.
ABOUT USNC-TECH
Based in Seattle, WA, Ultra Safe Nuclear (USNC) will provide nuclear hardware and services for reliable energy anywhere – on Earth and in Space. From milliwatts to megawatts, Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation Technologies (USNC-Tech) is developing nuclear power and propulsion technologies to support the sustainable exploration and development of space. Together, the family of USNC divisions offer full-stack capabilities from specialized reactor design services, to advanced materials and fuel development, to reactor manufacturing and system deployment.
Website: usnc.com/space
Twitter: @USNCTech