Lockheed Martin to Lead JETSON Spacecraft Power Initiative

Lockheed Martin secured a contract from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) worth $33.7 million for their pivotal role in the Joint Emergent Technology Supplying On-Orbit Nuclear (JETSON) initiative. This initiative focuses on advancing high-power nuclear electric power and propulsion technologies, as well as spacecraft design.

JETSON's primary goal is to deploy a fission reactor initiated once in space. The reactor will generate heat, which is subsequently transferred to Stirling power converters to produce electricity. This electrical power can be harnessed for spacecraft payloads or electric thrusters for propulsion. The technology behind the reactor is an evolution from NASA's Kilopower Reactor Using Stirling Technology (KRUSTY) demonstration in 2018. Barry Miles, JETSON program manager, and principal investigator at Lockheed Martin, emphasizes the importance of nuclear fission development for space applications, foreseeing its potential to revolutionize space exploration.

Lockheed Martin collaborates with Space Nuclear Power Corp. (SpaceNukes) and BWX Technologies, Inc. (BWXT) on the JETSON project, both renowned for their expertise in nuclear power and reactor design. Presently, the project is in the preliminary design review stage, with plans to advance to the critical design review level. Andy Phelps, CEO of SpaceNukes, anticipates that a future JETSON flight experiment will significantly enhance maneuver and power capabilities, shaping the landscape of future space force operations.

The contract, announced on Sept. 29, includes two other key players in the JETSON initiative. Intuitive Machines, a Houston-based startup, secures a $9.4 million contract to design a spacecraft concept utilizing a compact radioisotope power system. Meanwhile, Westinghouse Government Services, based in South Carolina, receives a contract to further research high-power nuclear fission systems in spacecraft. This recent contract adds to Lockheed Martin's track record in space nuclear power. Previously, NASA and the U.S. military chose the aerospace giant to create and launch a spacecraft for testing nuclear thermal propulsion in space. Known as DRACO ("Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations"), the project could potentially offer a propulsion system several times more efficient than traditional chemical methods.