Rolls-Royce has secured an additional £4.8 million in funding from the UK Space Agency (UKSA) to further develop its groundbreaking nuclear micro-reactor technology. This innovative reactor could one day power lunar bases and provide thrust for spacecraft, bringing a touch of science fiction to reality.
The funding, awarded through the UKSA's National Space Innovation Programme (NSIP), brings the total investment towards the £9.1 million project cost. This development will see a complete system design within the next 18 months, thanks to collaborative efforts with academic partners at the University of Oxford and Bangor University. A crucial milestone is set for the end of the decade, with the first orbital test of the micro-reactor scheduled. Testing of a lunar version is expected to follow shortly after.
The micro-reactor is designed to be an energy-dense, reliable, and highly portable power source, capable of supporting long-term exploration and scientific missions on the Moon and in deep space. It represents a marketable British system for both space and terrestrial applications, promising to revolutionise power generation for commercial customers.
Traditional power sources like solar panels, fuel cells, and batteries are either unsuitable for extended missions or suffer from intermittent power generation. They are also limited in terms of the energy output, a crucial factor for the growing needs of space exploration in the 21st century.
The micro-reactor distinguishes itself from its larger counterpart, the Small Modular Reactor (SMR), by being far more compact, streamlined, and portable. While the SMR generates 0.5 GW of power and requires a vast space equivalent to two football pitches, the micro-reactor produces between one and 10 MW, fitting conveniently on the back of a truck. This versatility allows for deployment at a planetary base, relocation between sites, or even powering a rover indefinitely.
The micro-reactor operates independently, fuelled by pellets composed of layered enriched uranium or plutonium, carbon, and ceramic. These pellets are arranged within tubes inside a geometrical graphite core, which regulates the nuclear reaction, conducts heat from the fuel, and acts as a passive safety control mechanism. Bespoke heat exchangers contribute to the reactor's lightweight design and efficiently transfer heat for power generation.
The micro-reactor offers numerous applications, including:
Lunar and Martian bases: Providing sustainable power for scientific research and human settlements.
Space stations: Supplying reliable energy for long-duration missions in orbit.
Deep-space vehicles: Powering spacecraft for exploration beyond Earth's orbit.
Nuclear propulsion systems: Enabling electric propulsion, such as ion drives, and direct thermal nuclear rockets for faster and more efficient space travel.
The potential for nuclear propulsion is particularly exciting, as it allows for missions with larger payloads or higher velocities, and enables orbital satellites to quickly adjust their orbits for maintenance or defence purposes. The reactor can be safely located at a distance from the payload or habitat modules on a spacecraft, eliminating the need for extensive shielding.
"We are thrilled to receive this award from the National Space Innovation Programme and to continue our collaboration with the UK Space Agency," stated Jake Thompson, Director of Novel Nuclear & Special Projects at Rolls-Royce. "This funding marks a crucial step in our Micro-Reactor program, accelerating our technological progress and bringing us closer to powering inspiring human endeavours in space."
Thompson further emphasised the importance of consistent power generation for future space exploration: "The future of space exploration hinges on our ability to generate high levels of consistent power, and our nuclear Micro-Reactor is the solution that will offer safe, reliable, and flexible power to a wide range of space missions."
With this investment, Rolls-Royce is poised to take a leading role in the development of nuclear power for space exploration. The micro-reactor promises to unlock new possibilities for humanity's ventures beyond Earth, pushing the boundaries of scientific discovery and pushing the limits of technological innovation.