A new propulsion system, featuring one space vehicle firing thousands of tiny metallic pellets at its partner, could transform exploring beyond our solar system.
Calomino is leading NASA’s involvement in a nuclear thermal program called Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations, or Draco, a collaboration announced in January between the space agency and Darpa, the Pentagon’s advanced research arm. A nuclear thermal reactor wouldn’t be so different from one on the ground or in a nuclear submarine, but it would need to operate at hotter temperatures, like 2,500 degrees C.
Davoyan and his colleagues have most of this year to demonstrate to NASA and other potential partners that their propulsion system could be viable. They’re currently experimenting with different pellet materials and learning how they can be pushed with laser beams. They’re investigating how to design a spacecraft so that the pellet beam transfers momentum to it as efficiently as possible, and to make sure that it pushes—but doesn’t heat up—the spacecraft.
If they get a thumbs-up from the agency, they’ll receive $600,000 and another two years to research their concept. That won’t be enough for a large-scale demonstration, Davoyan points out—actually testing a prototype in space will cost tens of millions and would come afterward. R&D takes time. The race to go ultra-fast begins by going slow.
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