The US is preparing to use nuclear reactors in space!

The US is preparing to return to the use of nuclear energy in space. The US Space Force has awarded Antares Nuclear, a company developing nuclear microreactors, a $161 million contract to work on a space-based nuclear power system. The first stage of the project will involve testing the R1-S microreactor on Earth. The system is then expected to be integrated into a spacecraft and certified for flight.

If Antares Nuclear’s project is successful, the US could deploy a nuclear fission reactor in space for the first time since SNAP-10A was launched into orbit in 1965. The company plans to adapt its existing R1 microreactor technology for space conditions.

A key advantage of nuclear energy is its ability to provide continuous, high-power electricity without relying on sunlight. The technology could support high-performance computing, advanced sensors, electronic warfare and other energy-intensive systems on military satellites. The US also has broader plans to use nuclear reactors in space and develop nuclear power systems on the Moon.