NASA’s SR-1 Freedom Advances with Progress on Nuclear Power Module

Destined for Mars and beyond, NASA’s Space Reactor-1 (SR-1) Freedom will be humanity’s first fission-powered spacecraft to travel outside Earth’s orbit. Announced during NASA’s “Ignition” event, this mission will demonstrate nuclear electric propulsion in deep space, and progress is underway on its key element: the nuclear power module. To expedite development of the spacecraft, NASA […].

NASA’s SR-1 Freedom Advances with Progress on Nuclear Power Module. To expedite development of the spacecraft, NASA and its partners have mutually agreed to key contract actions that will advance the SR‑1 Freedom mission. “These contract actions not only reduce technical risk and help us maintain momentum toward our 2028 launch, but they also strengthen collaboration across our partners,” said Steve Sinacore, SR-1 Freedom program director.

“These actions keep SR‑1 Freedom on track and ensure we’re building the strongest possible foundation for NASA’s first fission‑powered voyage beyond Earth orbit while developing technology extensible to a vibrant space nuclear future.” Space Reactor-1 Freedom’s nuclear power module, located at the end of the spacecraft’s boom, consists of a reactor that generates heat through nuclear fission and a power conversion system that converts that heat into electricity to power systems and electric propulsion. Will provide the nuclear power module’s closed Brayton cycle power conversion system, which converts thermal energy from its fission reactor into electrical power needed for SR-1 Freedom’s nuclear electric propulsion demonstration. The work will be conducted under the Space Flight Systems Development and Operations Contract III, awarded in 2024, to support spaceflight hardware design, development, testing, and operations at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland.

The power conversion system will be integrated with the fission reactor, which is being designed and developed by the Department of Energy (DOE)’s Idaho National Laboratory to complete the nuclear power module.