NASA says its SR-1 Freedom mission remains on schedule for launch toward Mars in December 2028, with arrival expected in 2029. The spacecraft is planned as the first interplanetary vehicle to use nuclear propulsion, drawing on hardware developed for the cancelled crewed lunar Gateway project.
At the heart of the mission is the PPE, or Power and Propulsion Element, which will provide a basis for a spacecraft powered by a fission reactor designed to operate in space. The reactor is intended to generate electricity for an ion propulsion system, which accelerates gas to high speeds. Ion engines have flown on space missions before, but have generally relied on solar panels for power.
NASA sees the flight as a test of technology that could support both future lunar infrastructure and longer missions. The agency is also developing the LR-1, described as its first lunar reactor, and is examining nuclear propulsion systems that use either electricity or heat from a reactor to accelerate propellant.
The mission is expected to carry SkyFall as well: a payload with three helicopters similar to Ingenuity. They are planned to enter the Martian atmosphere in 2030 and explore the planet after landing.
The project combines elements that were already tested or partly built, including the PPE and Ingenuity-related technology. Its estimated cost is around $2.1 billion, excluding the helicopter component. The reactor is being developed by the US Department of Energy.
Sources: Folha Ciência.