Lockheed Martin to build the rocket with atomic engine to fly to Mars: The flight is scheduled for 2027

NASA has announced that Lockheed Martin has been selected as the prime contractor for the design, construction and testing of a nuclear-powered demonstration rocket. A number of companies are also participating in the project, including BWX Technologies, which is designing a nuclear heat engine. Lockheed Martin's task is to assemble a demonstration rocket that will be launched into space in four years.

Nuclear thermal engines are expected to have two to five times more thrust than modern chemical rocket engines. They are also tens of thousands of times more powerful than ion-powered electric motors. For example, with the help of a nuclear-powered rocket, NASA hopes to halve the time it takes to get astronauts to Mars, keeping astronauts healthy while flying in highly irradiated space.

Lockheed Martin will be responsible for integrating the engine and other components into the rocket, designing and manufacturing the rocket, and launching it into space in 2027. The nuclear heat engine is designed by BWX Technologies. Previously, NASA and DARPA contracted Blue Origin, Gryphon Technologies, and General Atomics for these purposes.

"Working with DARPA and companies in the commercial space industry will allow us to accelerate the development of the technology needed to send humans to Mars," said NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy.” “This demonstration will be an important step in achieving our goals of transporting crews from the Moon to Mars in deep space."

All contracts and projects are implemented for the purposes of the DRACO (Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations) program presented by DARPA in 2020. The US military has big plans for nuclear rocket engines. In particular, such long-running engines are needed by the US military for constant patrolling in the Earth-Moon space. By 2030, the area is expected to see heavy spacecraft traffic, and the US military wants a full presence there to ensure the safety of scientific and commercial missions there.

NASA allocates up to 300 million dollars for the implementation of projects within the framework of the DRACO program. This amount includes up to $250 million in nuclear engine design and development costs, as well as agency staff technical oversight and expertise.