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March 26, 2026

Here is NASA's plan for nuking Gateway and sending it to Mars

Only one US-built nuclear reactor has ever flown in space, and that was more than 60 years ago.

Here is NASA's plan for nuking Gateway and sending it to Mars

TL;DR

  • NASA is repurposing hardware built for the lunar Gateway outpost for a deep-space nuclear propulsion demonstration mission, SR-1 Freedom.
  • The SR-1 Freedom mission will utilize the Gateway's Power and Propulsion Element (PPE) and feature a uranium-fueled fission reactor alongside solar arrays.
  • The mission's primary goal is to demonstrate the US's capability to build, launch, and operate a nuclear propulsion system in space.
  • SR-1 Freedom is scheduled for launch before the end of 2028, targeting the next Mars launch window.
  • The mission will also deploy three drones, based on NASA's Ingenuity helicopter, to scout landing sites on Mars.
  • Past US nuclear propulsion efforts have faced challenges with complex designs, cost overruns, and convoluted management structures.

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