NASA Aims to Launch the First Nuclear Reactor-Powered Interplanetary Spacecraft by 2028

nuclear reactor-powered interplanetary spacecraft is the headline of NASA’s most ambitious push since Artemis.

How a nuclear reactor-powered interplanetary spacecraft could change deep‑space travel

At a press briefing before Artemis II’s lunar swing‑by, Administrator Jared Isaacman announced a Space Reactor‑1 Freedom (SR‑1) slated for a ↑ 2028 launch to Mars. The plan builds on decades of fission research and the modest Reuters-covered SNAP‑10A test that ran for ↓ 1 month before a voltage fault. Unlike solar arrays or RTGs, the SR‑1 will generate electricity via a compact uranium core, feeding a nuclear electric propulsion system that ionises hydrogen and ejects it for continuous thrust.

“We finally move from concepts on paper to a reactor that will power an interplanetary craft,”

said Philip Metzger of the Florida Space Institute. The reactor, derived from the cancelled Gateway power module, will sit at the vehicle’s nose, while large radiators—dubbed “fletches”—dissipate heat into space. After liftoff, the core will remain dormant until the vehicle clears Earth’s atmosphere, then power up to avoid contaminating the planet with radioactive by‑products. Experts argue the technology could cut Mars transit time by up to 30 %, reducing crew exposure to cosmic rays. The timeline is tight: hardware development begins June, assembly by January nuclear systems testing follows, and a launch window opens in late 2028. If successful, SR‑1 will not only demonstrate the viability of deep‑space fission propulsion but also pave the way for a lunar surface reactor, a stepping stone toward sustainable human presence on the Red Planet.

Dispatch from Nova Stirling (Aerospace & Space Tech Correspondent).