NASA will test a nuclear reactor for Mars

NASA is preparing to send humans to Mars

One of the key technical issues on which the Agency is to ensure the colonists a sufficient amount of electricity.

One of the possible variants remain small nuclear fission reactors that operate by fission of uranium atoms to generate heat, which is then converted into electricity.

Branch of technological development NASA is already funding a project called Kilopower for three years and soon will demonstrate the system at the test site in Nevada. Testing will begin in September and end in January 2018.

The last time NASA conducted tests of nuclear reactor division in the 1960s, was then developed two types of nuclear energy systems. The first system — radioisotope thermoelectric generators or RTGs, they produce energy from natural decay of radioactive elements such as plutonium. RTGs installed on dozens of space probes, including the Mars Curiosity Rover.

The second option is a nuclear reactor. The satellite Snap-10A was the first and so far only — spacecraft, which was installed in such a reactor. Nuclear power plant for operation in space. Launched 3 April 1965 Snap-10A has worked for 43 days, producing 500 watts of electric power before you run out of the demonstration due to equipment failure. The spacecraft remains in Earth orbit.

Three years ago the U.S. space Agency supported project Kilopower, with the aim of building and testing a small reactor division. The cost of the project amounted to about $ 15 million. Tests in September designed to test the performance Kilopower. After that, NASA will continue work on the system, modifying it under the terms of Mars. Reactor with a diameter of 1.9 meters is designed to produce up to 1 kilowatt of electricity. In total, according to experts, the first Martian colonists will need a system that can generate about 40 kilowatts of power.

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