Roscosmos proposed to create a nuclear power plant on Mars

Roscosmos proposed to create a nuclear power plant on Mars
Roscosmos proposed to create a nuclear power plant on Mars
Anonim

Experts of the Roscosmos enterprise KB Arsenal propose to create a nuclear power plant on the future Russian base on Mars to supply the infrastructure with electricity, and use the technologies developed for the nuclear space tug as the reactor itself, it follows from the materials of the enterprise at the disposal of RIA Novosti.

The Martian nuclear power plant is proposed to be delivered to the orbit of the Red Planet as part of the Zeus nuclear tug, and then dropped to the surface by parachute. After landing, "activation of the nuclear power plant (nuclear power plant - ed.)" And "power supply of the Martian base" take place.

In addition, the nuclear tug "Zeus", equipped with means of relaying signals and located at the libration point of the "Sun-Mars" system (equality of the gravitational forces of these bodies), will make it possible to organize a "high-speed channel for transmitting information to Earth from the surface of Mars and spacecraft in Mars orbit. devices ", follows from the materials of KB" Arsenal ".

Earlier, from the materials of the enterprise it became known that the Russian space nuclear tug "Zeus" with a megawatt power-propulsion system can be used to disable potential opponents by an electromagnetic pulse of spacecraft and "shoot" with a laser. In addition, according to the Keldysh Research Center, this unit can also be used in the air defense system. The nuclear tug will be able to illuminate air targets from orbit, and information about the detected objects will be transmitted to air defense systems.

The creation of elements of a nuclear tug on the basis of a transport and energy module with a nuclear power plant of a megawatt class has been carried out in Russia since 2010. In 2019, a model of a tugboat was presented for the first time at the MAKS International Aviation and Space Salon, and at the Army-2020 forum, a three-dimensional schedule of its work in space.

In January 2020, in a presentation by Yuri Urlichich, First Deputy General Director of Roscosmos, presented at the Royal Readings, plans were made to launch a nuclear space tug into orbit for flight tests in 2030. After that, it is planned to start its serial production and commercial use. According to the contract previously announced on the public procurement website, the development of the preliminary design of the tug will be completed by July 2024 and will cost 4.2 billion rubles.

It was reported that the nuclear tug will be designed for flights to the Moon and the planets of the solar system. It got the name "Zeus", and the research and development work itself is called "Nuclon".

It was also reported that it is planned to test the drip cooler-emitter for the nuclear tug "Zeus" on the ISS.

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