WASHINGTON — NASA's new exploration strategy includes the rapid development of a nuclear-powered mission to Mars in 2028, leveraging hardware originally built for the lunar Gateway.
As part of the agency's "Ignition" event March 24, NASA announced a mission called Space Reactor 1 (SR-1) Freedom. That spacecraft, launching at the end of 2028, would use a nuclear electric propulsion system to go to Mars.
"After decades of study and millions spent on concepts that have never left Earth, America will finally get underway on nuclear power in space," NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said at the event.
