SPAR Institute Begins Latest Effort to Develop Nuclear Propulsion for Space

The United States Space Force allocated $35 million to the Space Power & Propulsion for Agility, Responsiveness & Resilience - or SPAR - Institute to develop nuclear-powered systems for spacecraft propulsion. 

The Institute demonstrates the latest effort by the Space Force, in partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to explore nuclear fission as an energy source in space. If successful, nuclear energy can enable the Space Force to “maneuver without regret,” among other capabilities. 

In this episode of, “The Elara Edge: Expert Insights on Space Security,” Elara Nova partners Donna Dickey, an aerospace engineer with decades of experience at Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Dr. Brad Tousley, former director of the Tactical Technology Office at DARPA, and Dr. Tom Cooley, former chief scientist at AFRL, explore the past, present, and future of nuclear propulsion in space.

"The Elara Edge" is hosted by Scott King and produced by Regia Multimedia Services. The full story can be found on Elara Nova's Insights page here. Music was produced by Patrick Watkins of PW Audio.