Roscosmos Moves to Design Nuclear-Powered Tug for Deep Space Exploration

The spacecraft is expected to be fitted with a megawatt-class reactor that would allow it to generate power autonomously.

Russian space agency Roscosmos may end up spending about 4.2 billion rubles (about $54.47 million) on developing a spacecraft fitted with a nuclear power module that would serve as a "tug" of sorts, RIA Novosti reports.

Some details of this ambitious undertaking were released earlier this year at the Korolev Academic Space Conference in Moscow, with Roscosmos first deputy director Yuri Urlichich confirming that the spacecraft in question is expected to undergo flight testing in 2030.

The new craft's key feature would be the ability to generate power autonomously, thanks to an onboard megawatt-class reactor, and to carry a variety of payloads across space.

The facilities needed to launch the craft in space are expected to be constructed at the Vostochny Cosmodrome located in Russia's Far East, to be completed by 2030.

In July, Roscosmos head Dmitry Rogozin also announced that the space agency is working on a nuclear propulsion system that would allow heavy cargo ships to travel to the furthest reaches of our Solar system and beyond.

Source: RIA Novosti

Related Links
Roscosmos
Rocket Science News at Space-Travel.Com

Tweet

Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.

SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly

paypal only

SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once

credit card or paypal

ENPULSION launches its new MICRO family of satellite thrusters
Wiener Neustadt, Austria (SPX) Oct 11, 2020
Thrusters from the new ENPULSION MICRO family are based on the FEEP technology of the NANO family, which has a notable flight heritage with more than 50 units in space by September 2020. This proven flight technology is now scaled to significantly more power. The ENPULSION MICRO R3 produces up to 1.2 mN of thrust with an input power of 120 W and provides up to 50 kNs of total impulse, which makes it particularly adapted to small and medium size spacecraft. It can be launched safely on any rocket a ... read more