There is a possibility of a new space race involving the deployment of a nuclear satellite in cislunar space, according to reports from The Daily Beast. The United States military and NASA, as well as China, are all currently working on projects related to this goal, as reported by Popular Mechanics. It is likely that nuclear reactors will be constructed remotely using individual pieces launched into space at different times.
According to a report from The Daily Beast, the Pentagon is currently developing a “nuclear thermal propulsion” engine that aims to enable the movement of satellites in space. This project is believed to have multiple purposes, including hindering the space advancements of other nations, efficiently extracting resources from the moon, and potentially serving as a weapon. Similar to a versatile athlete or performer, the nuclear thermal propulsion system strives to have a triple impact, both literally and figuratively.
The statement may seem ominous, but it is not entirely incorrect. It is not inherently more or less evil than other forms of defense. However, the name does raise some concerns.
According to a report by The Daily Beast, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has requested a budget of $21 million for their program called “Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations” (DRACO) in their 2021 budget proposal released in February. The term “cislunar” in this context refers to the region between Earth and the moon. The word “draco” has connotations of malevolence similar to the character Malfoy, but it is also simply the Latin word for “dragon”.
The concept utilizes a compact nuclear reactor placed on a rocket, which utilizes the reactor’s generated energy to propel itself by expelling hot or combusting material through a rear opening. Modern satellites are equipped with extremely limited thrusters primarily used for altitude adjustments, and these are often powered by electricity due to the ability of satellites to collect solar energy for a majority of the year. However, fuel usage is carefully monitored due to the potential loss of resources.
The implementation of a highly efficient and maneuverable satellite propulsion system is a novel concept, especially if it progresses to the execution stage. The ability to maneuver while in orbit has been a significant objective for world powers for a considerable time, resulting in numerous ideas at various stages of development. However, the design of vehicles meant to remain in orbit and communicate with the Earth’s surface is inherently limited. Moreover, while the moon orbits the Earth in a predictable pattern, serving as the first satellite, its orbit is significantly further, hundreds of thousands of miles away, from the majority of orbiting satellites.
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The IBEX satellite operated by NASA is positioned very close to the moon, at a distance of approximately 200,000 miles. In contrast, the majority of Earth’s communication satellites are located in a geostationary orbit around 22,000 miles above the Earth’s surface. This specific orbit is named geostationary orbit due to the appearance of the satellites appearing to “follow” the Earth as it rotates. The region between 22,000 and 239,000 miles is relatively empty, and this is where the U.S. and Chinese military and space agencies envision their nuclear-powered cislunar vehicles. According to The Daily Beast, the plan for these nuclear reactors involves building them in a similar way to how Johnny Cash’s song “One Piece at a Time” describes. This method involves spreading the weight of the reactor over multiple rocket launches, but also requires it to be assembled while in space. The assembly would take place at a much higher altitude than the human-occupied International Space Station, possibly requiring autonomous or remote assembly techniques.Currently, both NASA and the military view this technology as a valuable addition to our goal of going back to the moon by 2024. This is also reflected in the rise of government and civilian rocket launches worldwide. It is not difficult to envision a scenario where businesses operate mines on the moon under the supervision of a cislunar law enforcement agency. However, just because it is easy to visualize, it does not necessarily imply that it is a practical or viable concept.