Rolls-Royce Unveils Space Nuclear Reactor Design

As part of a contract with the UK Space Agency, Rolls-Royce has developed and published a design for a space nuclear reactor. The document was signed in 2021 to study nuclear power options for space exploration.

The Rolls-Royce microreactor is designed to use an inherently safe and extremely robust fuel form. Each uranium particle is encapsulated in multiple protective layers that act as a containment system. Thus, the most extreme space conditions will not affect the integrity of the design and its operability.

The developed microreactor is an autonomous and energy-intensive solution for use in surface studies of other planets or for providing power to a spacecraft.

According to Rolls-Royce