NASA studied "nuclear thermal propulsion systems" during the Cold War, but shelved the idea because it wasn't necessary. Nuclear-powered spacecraft could send humans to Mars faster and allow them to ...

I’ve grown up with rockets that burn chemical fuel, but NASA’s next big leap in propulsion could make those engines look as dated as steam trains. By turning to nuclear power in space, the agency is ...

LYNCHBURG, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BWX Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: BWXT) today announced that its reactor and fuel will be key components in the world’s first demonstration spacecraft using nuclear ...

The US Patent Office has approved Boeing's application for a patent upon its laser and nuclear fuel pellet powered jet engine designs. According to the patent, the new engine would work by firing ...

When spaceships start using nuclear power, they will have to take off from deserts with no unsheltered humans for miles around. Only the crewmen in their cabins will be fully shielded. As the ship ...