NASA Advances Space Nuclear Propulsion Capabilities

Cold-flow tests of flight reactor engineering unit mark key milestone for future deep space missions.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 6:23pm

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NASA has completed a series of cold-flow tests on a full-scale, non-nuclear engineering development unit for a space nuclear propulsion system. The tests, conducted at Marshall Space Flight Center, are a crucial step toward developing a flight-capable nuclear propulsion system that could enable faster, more powerful deep space missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

Why it matters

Nuclear propulsion offers significant benefits for space exploration, including increased speed, endurance, and power capacity compared to traditional chemical rockets. Advancing this technology could unlock new frontiers in human spaceflight and scientific discovery.

The details

The 44-inch by 72-inch engineering unit, built by BWX Technologies, simulated propellant flow through a flight-like nuclear reactor design across a range of operational conditions. Test engineers were able to validate the reactor's stability and gather critical data to inform the design of flight instrumentation and control systems.

  • The cold-flow test campaign was conducted over several months in 2025.
  • This activity builds on a multi-year effort by NASA and industry partners.

The players

NASA

The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the federal agency responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and space research.

BWX Technologies

A Virginia-based company that manufactured the full-scale, non-nuclear engineering development unit tested by NASA.

Greg Stover

Acting associate administrator of NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters.

Jason Turpin

Manager of the Space Nuclear Propulsion Office at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center.

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What they’re saying

“Nuclear propulsion has multiple benefits including speed and endurance that could enable complex deep space missions. By shortening travel times and expanding mission capabilities, this technology will lay the foundation to explore farther into our solar system than ever before.”

— Greg Stover, Acting associate administrator of NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate

“We're doing more than proving a new technology. This test series generated some of the most detailed flow responses for a flight-like space reactor design in more than 50 years and is a key steppingstone toward developing a flight-capable system. Each milestone brings us closer to expanding what's possible for the future of human spaceflight, exploration, and science.”

— Jason Turpin, Manager of the Space Nuclear Propulsion Office at NASA Marshall

What’s next

The successful completion of the cold-flow test campaign is a crucial milestone toward developing a flight-capable nuclear propulsion system. NASA and its industry partners will now use the data gathered to inform the design of future flight instrumentation and control systems.

The takeaway

NASA's progress in advancing space nuclear propulsion technology represents a significant step forward in enabling more ambitious, faster, and more powerful deep space missions. This capability could unlock new frontiers in human exploration and scientific discovery throughout the solar system.