Two companies in Seattle have won a Pentagon contract to develop nuclear power prototypes for space applications, with orbital demonstrations scheduled for 2027.
The defense innovation department said that the mission of super safe nuclear technology company is to display a rechargeable and encapsulated nuclear radioisotope battery, called embercore, for space propulsion and power applications.
Plutonium powered radioisotope batteries have been in use for decades, dating back to the Apollo era. For example, NASA’s perseverance and curiosity rovers are relying on this battery to provide heat and power for their actions on Mars.
Embercore is the next generation radioisotope power supply. (super safe nuclear illustration)
Embercore provides 10 times more power than these batteries and can produce more than 1 million kilowatt hours in just a few pounds of fuel.
Another Seattle based joint venture, avalanche energy, will continue to develop a compact fusion device called orbitron with the support of the defense innovation department. The device is about the size of a lunch box and will use electrostatic field and magnetron electronic restraint system to capture ions.
The resulting fusion reaction will produce high-energy particles to generate heat or electricity, so as to provide power for an efficient propulsion system.
The DIU initiative, known as nuclear advanced propulsion and power, or NAPP, aims to develop power and propulsion systems for highly maneuverable small spacecraft using fusion and radioisotopes.
The avalanche energy team’s goal is to develop a small fusion device. This is an artist’s description of the potential relative scale of their technology. (avalanche energy diagram)
“Advanced nuclear technology will provide speed, power and responsiveness to maintain operational superiority in space,” major Ryan weed, NAPP program manager, said at a news conference today. “Nuclear technology has traditionally been developed and operated by the government, but we have found a thriving ecosystem of commercial companies, including start-ups, innovating in the field of space nuclear.”
Wade said the future space missions planned by the Ministry of defense will require nuclear energy. “Ultimately, chemical and solar systems cannot provide the power they need,” he said.
Avalanche energy and super safe nuclear energy are related to blue origin. Blue origin is a well-known space company founded by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
The founder of avalanche energy is a blue American veteran from Kent rocket propulsion system in Washington – headquartered in a company. Avalanche recently announced a $5 million seed fund, led by Prime Impact Fund (now Azolla ventures).
Ultra safe nuclear technologies is working with blue origin to obtain a $5 million contract from NASA and the Department of energy to develop reactor designs for space-based nuclear thermal propulsion systems.
The company also said it was helping blue origin and general atomics develop a nuclear thermal propulsion system for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and planned to conduct an orbital demonstration in 2025.