New nuclear discovery could radically change space travel

• Scientists at Ohio State University have developed a new centrifugal nuclear thermal rocket (CNTR) system.
• This innovative propulsion method uses liquid uranium to directly heat rocket propellant, making it more efficient than current technologies.
• The CNTR system could significantly reduce human mission times to Mars from approximately three years to just one year.
• The technology, partly funded by NASA, also promises to enable robotic missions to outer planets and could utilise propellants like methane mined from asteroids.
• While several technical challenges remain, researchers anticipate five years for testing and are calling for increased funding for nuclear propulsion research.

IN FULL

Nuclear rocket could slash mission times to Mars