Interplanetary travel to Mars aboard nuclear-powered spaceships may sound like science fiction – yet NASA is planning to make it a reality.

The Space Reactor-1 Freedom mission is scheduled for launch by December 2028 to explore Mars, with NASA heralding it as “the first nuclear-powered interplanetary spacecraft”.

NASA also has plans to deploy a small nuclear reactor on the Moon by 2030 for its Artemis program, though any reactor on the lunar surface would look nothing like the large nuclear power plants found on Earth. And the White House has moved to establish a National Initiative for American Space Nuclear Power.

The US isn’t alone in pursuing nuclear power in space. Interest in nuclear power sources in space now involves a growing list of national and regional space agencies, private actors and research institutions.

Beyond the hype, technical feasibility and timelines are only part of the story. Nuclear power in space also has to be governed responsibly.

The race to the Moon and beyond is accelerating. Some say it’s for the benefit of all humanity. But is it really? In this seven-part series, we explore what our future in space will look like, how we might travel and survive out there, and what’s needed to stop a catastrophe from happening.

Nuclear power in space: why now?

Nuclear power sources in space vary in purpose and design. Some support instruments and communications. Others could power bases on celestial bodies, or propel spacecraft over vast distances.

Radioisotope power systems are one type. They generate electricity from the heat released by the natural decay of a radioactive isotope, plutonium-238.

Meanwhile, fission........

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