They develop a nuclear propellant with which astronauts could go faster into space

The british car company Rolls-Royce Motor Carsconfirmed through his social networks that he is preparing to make the leap to the space industry.

The multinational revealed a design concept for a nuclear “microreactor”, developed for faster trips or with a larger payload to the Moon or Mars.

The report adds that, in the long term, Rolls-Royce wants to use this “microreactor” as a power source for future bases on the natural satellite and the red planet.

the reactor it will be based on uranium, a common fuel used in nuclear fission. Interestingly, the use of these “microjets” for space travel is currently in the background, since propulsion based on chemical propellants takes precedence.

The main advantage of this type of reactor is its lightness, which would allow faster displacements or a greater volume of cargo.

rolls royce it hopes to have it ready by 2029 after raising 600 million dollars of public and private financing.

In a promotional video for the company, the head of innovation products and services, Jake Thompson, explained that Rolls-Royce Holdings “is in the concept, design, development and test phase of the reactor”.

The spokesperson clarified that “they are working on a smaller-scale prototype.”

At the same time, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) are working on a side project to develop a thermal rocket engine that could reduce time-to-arrival in deep space.