NASA has completed tests on a small nuclear reactor it hopes could provide power for future missions on the surface of the Moon and Mars. The system has been dubbed KRUSTY (Kilowatt Reactor Using Stirling Technology), and consists of a solid core of uranium-235, generating between 1 kW and 10 kW of electricity. Following the successful ground tests, the US space agency is considering tests of the reactor in space, and will spend the next 18 months on preparatory work for such a mission. Developing the reactor has so far cost less than $20 million, NASA says.
NASA has completed tests on a small nuclear reactor it hopes could provide power for future missions on the surface of the Moon and Mars. The system has been dubbed KRUSTY (Kilowatt Reactor Using Stirling Technology), and consists of a solid core of uranium-235, generating between 1 kW and 10 kW of electricity. Following the successful ground tests, the US space agency is considering tests of the reactor in space, and will spend the next 18 months on preparatory work for such a mission. Developing the reactor has so far cost just $20m, NASA says.