Journey to Mars in Record Time? Lockheed Martin's Revolutionary Nuclear Spaceship Promises Just That by 2027

On a bright Wednesday, Lockheed Martin Corp., the defense powerhouse, happily shared the news of a fresh contract signed with the U.S. Department of Defense. The partnership is primed to result in a nuclear-powered spaceship, earmarked for potential human expeditions to Mars.

In an ambitious collaboration with NASA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) granted the contract. The primary goal is to showcase a nuclear thermal rocket in orbit. 

This cutting-edge tech could significantly boost efficiency for voyages in cis-lunar space, the vast expanse between Earth and our closest celestial neighbor, the Moon.

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DARPA highlighted in a press release, "The space domain is indispensable to contemporary commerce, scientific exploration, and national defense." 

Propelling larger payloads into further reaches of space demands a propulsion technology overhaul, according to the agency.

"A safe, reusable nuclear tug spacecraft would be transformative," stated Kirk Shireman, Lockheed Martin Space's VP of lunar exploration campaigns.

The ground-breaking technology under consideration is nuclear thermal propulsion. This tech has the potential to increase efficiency by two to five times compared to the predominantly used chemical propulsion in today's space journeys.

Chemical propulsion involves combining two or more substances to initiate a reaction generating thrust. Conversely, nuclear propulsion employs fission to break down atoms, which releases heat that warms and turns a propellant into gas. The gas discharge from the spacecraft creates the thrust needed for movement.

BWX Technologies Inc., a trusted supplier of nuclear components and fuel to the U.S. government, has also been handpicked for the mission to develop and supply the fuel.

The Department of Energy stated that nuclear thermal propulsion systems aren't designed to produce the thrust necessary for leaving Earth's surface. Consequently, the technology will exclusively be used in space. The conventional chemical reactions will continue propelling rockets off Earth, sidestepping the risk of triggering nuclear reactions on our planet.

SpaceX's head honcho and Tesla Inc CEO, Elon Musk, lauded the idea of a nuclear thermal rocket for rapid transit around the solar system, terming it "a splendid research direction for NASA."

This tech could be a game-changer for Martian journeys, potentially cutting the trip duration by a quarter and offering the crucial possibility for astronauts to abort the mission and return to Earth.

Importantly, "shortening travel time is crucial for manned Mars missions to reduce crew's radiation exposure," added Lockheed Martin's Shireman.

As per DARPA and Lockheed Martin, the maiden demo of the nuclear spaceship will take place in space before 2027.

Lockheed Martin, primarily an arms and defense manufacturer, draws a large chunk of its revenue from these sectors. As of 2019, it was the top U.S. government contractor. With a workforce exceeding 116,000, mostly engineers, the company is a significant player in the aerospace tech domain.

LMT Price Movement: Lockheed Martin's stock saw some recovery following a minor slump on Monday, demonstrating stable pricing, devoid of significant volatility in recent weeks or months. The stock closed Wednesday with a minor 0.22% dip at $452.81.

A similar pattern is observed with BWX Technologies, with a slight decrease of 0.043% on Wednesday and a 0.4% fall over the previous five trading days. The shares ended Wednesday at $69.93.

Source : benzinga.com (Reporting by Natan Ponieman)