On January 20, 2025, General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) announced successful high-impact tests at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) aimed at advancing Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) technology. These tests are crucial for rapid transportation in cislunar space and potential human missions to Mars.
Conducted in collaboration with NASA, the tests verified the capability of GA-EMS's nuclear fuel design to endure extreme operational conditions in space. Scott Forney, president of GA-EMS, emphasized the importance of these results, stating that the fuel must withstand high temperatures and a hot hydrogen gas environment typical of NTP reactors.
The tests involved subjecting the nuclear fuel to hot hydrogen flow and six thermal cycles, reaching a peak temperature of 2600 K (4220°F). Each cycle included a 20-minute hold at peak performance to assess the fuel's resistance to erosion and degradation.
Dr. Christina Back, vice president of GA-EMS Nuclear Technologies, noted that this testing represents a pioneering use of NASA's compact fuel element environmental test facility. Additional tests in a non-hydrogen environment showed the fuel's performance at temperatures up to 3000 K, suggesting that NTP systems could be two-to-three times more efficient than conventional chemical rocket engines.
GA-EMS conducted these tests under a contract managed by Battelle Energy Alliance at Idaho National Lab, marking a significant step towards the realization of safe and reliable nuclear thermal propulsion for future space missions.