General Atomics tests advanced nuclear thermal propulsion fuel at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

General Atomics tests advanced nuclear thermal propulsion fuel at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 21, 2025

General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) announced a major step forward in nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) technology with successful testing of its reactor fuel at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). This progress supports the development of rapid and flexible cislunar transportation and deep space missions, including human exploration of Mars. The collaborative effort with NASA aims to validate GA-EMS's unique nuclear fuel design under conditions expected in space.

"The recent testing results represent a critical milestone in the successful demonstration of fuel design for NTP reactors," said Scott Forney, president of GA-EMS. "Fuel must survive extremely high temperatures and the hot hydrogen gas environment that an NTP reactor operating in space would typically encounter. We're very encouraged by the positive test results proving the fuel can survive these operational conditions, moving us closer to realizing the potential of safe, reliable nuclear thermal propulsion for cislunar and deep space missions."

The tests conducted at NASA MSFC in Huntsville, AL, subjected the nuclear fuel to rigorous conditions. Hot hydrogen was flowed through the fuel samples, and six thermal cycles were performed, each reaching a peak temperature of 2600 K (4220 F). During these cycles, the samples were held at the peak temperature for 20 minutes to demonstrate the effectiveness of shielding the material from degradation and erosion caused by the extreme environment. Additional tests evaluated protective material features, providing further insights into enhancing performance under reactor-like conditions.

"To the best of our knowledge, we are the first company to use the compact fuel element environmental test (CFEET) facility at NASA MSFC to successfully test and demonstrate the survivability of fuel after thermal cycling in hydrogen representative temperatures and ramp rates," said Dr. Christina Back, vice president of GA-EMS Nuclear Technologies and Materials. "We've also conducted tests in a non-hydrogen environment at our GA-EMS laboratory, which confirmed the fuel performed exceptionally well at temperatures up to 3000 K. This capability would enable the NTP system to be two-to-three times more efficient than conventional chemical rocket engines. We are excited to continue our collaboration with NASA as we mature and test the fuel to meet the performance requirements for future cislunar and Mars mission architectures."

The testing is part of a contract managed by Battelle Energy Alliance (BEA) at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL).