nuclear thermal propulsion

DARPA, NASA tap Lockheed Martin to design, build DRACO nuclear rocket for deep space missions

The Space Force is interested in DRACO primarily as an option for allowing it to undertake rapid on-orbit maneuvers, but also for potential future missions out to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

NASA funding DRACO nuclear thermal rocket engine under deal with DARPA

"When people like to question the validity or usefulness of this engine, I point them to Wernher von Braun," said Tabitha Dodson, DRACO program manager at DARPA, "because this was more or less his idea."