The Russian government plans to allocate millions of dollars to develop a spacecraft propelled by nuclear power. The proposed design could provide the only feasible way to travel to Mars.
Some $600 million will be spent on developing the spacecraft, whose nuclear-powered engine will allow it to enter orbit without relying on energy from other sources. The spacecraft’s engine is also expected to be significantly lighter, allowing it to travel faster.
Andrey Ionin, an expert on space research, says the project will open doors for multi-lateral collaboration.
“A project as large-scale as a flight to Mars cannot be carried out by a single country, not even the United States,” Ionin noted. “If Russia were to contribute this technology to the global space project, it would be a great contribution indeed. This is a great design. No one has anything like it. And this would make Russia a full-fledged partner in this truly universal endeavor.”
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