NASA researchers are working on a new technology that could significantly reduce the time it takes for crewed missions to Mars. Modular Assembled Radiators for Nuclear Electric Propulsion Vehicles (MARVL) aims to improve the heat dissipation system in nuclear electric propulsion, making it more efficient and compact.
Currently, nuclear electric propulsion requires a massive radiator array that would be too large to fit inside a rocket fairing. The MARVL technology solves this problem by dividing the radiator into smaller components that can be assembled robotically and autonomously in space. This approach allows for greater flexibility and design optimization.
According to Amanda Stark, heat transfer engineer at NASA Langley and principal investigator of MARVL, “By doing that, we eliminate trying to fit the whole system into one rocket fairing… It allows us to loosen up the design a little bit and really optimize it.”
The technology has far-reaching implications for future Mars missions. Instead of cramming the entire system into an existing rocket, researchers can send smaller components to space and assemble them on the planet’s surface. Robots would then connect the nuclear electric propulsion system’s radiator panels, which are cooled by a liquid metal coolant.
While this is still an engineering challenge, NASA experts believe MARVL marks a significant milestone in developing in-space assembly capabilities. The project has received support from various agency teams, including the Space Technology Mission Directorate and the agency’s Space Nuclear Propulsion project.
After two years of development, the team hopes to move the MARVL design to a small-scale ground demonstration. The technology could potentially speed up crewed missions to Mars by several years, making it an exciting prospect for future space exploration.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2025-01-nuclear-electric-propulsion-technology-missions.html