Capability · Nuclear energy and propulsion
Nuclear Propulsion and Space Power
Nuclear reactors and radioisotope sources that propel ships and spacecraft or power systems far from any grid or sunlight.
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Maturity
Fielded
Field-wide rating
Assessment
Case for · why it matters
Naval reactors have powered the U.S. submarine and carrier fleet for more than 75 years, giving ships endurance, stealth and independence from supply chains. DOE and NASA now plan a lunar surface fission reactor by 2030 that can run for years without refueling.
Case against · the skeptic’s view
DARPA cancelled its DRACO nuclear thermal rocket because falling launch costs made the efficiency gain look like poor return on its R&D cost. The naval supply base is thin and slow, with heavy reactor components taking 4-8 years to manufacture.
Systems9
| Los Angeles-class submarine | General Dynamics Electric Boat | Vessel | Fielded | — |
| BOHR | City Labs | Spacecraft | — | — |
| Columbia-class submarine | — | Vessel | — | — |
| P100 | City Labs | Component | — | — |
| P200 | City Labs | Component | — | — |
| Radioisotope Thermo-Acoustic Linear Induction Generator (RTALIG) | Deep Space Energy | Component | — | — |
| SEATOM-100 | SEATOM Technologies | Other | — | — |
| Virginia-class submarine Block V | — | Vessel | — | — |
| Yinsen | Maritime Fusion | Other | — | — |
Breakdown3
- Maritime nuclear propulsion and floating reactorsShipboard reactors that propel submarines, carriers and commercial vessels, and barge- or ship-mounted reactors that supply power from the sea.Fielded
- Radioisotope and betavoltaic powerPower sources that convert the decay heat or radiation of isotopes such as plutonium-238 into electricity, from spacecraft RTGs to long-life betavoltaic batteries.Fielded
- Space fission power and propulsionFission reactors for spacecraft and planetary surfaces, covering surface power, nuclear electric propulsion and nuclear thermal propulsion.Development