Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO)*
Abstract
*Formerly Reactor on a Rocket (ROAR) The Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) program will develop and demonstrate a High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) system. The capability afforded by NTP will expand the operating presence of the U.S. in space to the cislunar volume and enhance domestic operations to a new high-ground, which is in danger of being defined by the adversary. The program will initially develop the use of additive manufacturing (AM) approaches to print NTP fuel elements. This program will be the first demonstration of AM printing of uranium fuel elements. The results will be used to enable optimized NTP reactor designs that are not constrained by traditional manufacturing. The anticipated transition partner is the Air Force.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Accomplishment
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2021
- Source ID
- 8867e0683efcc24411721d72bc04e671