Well, it didn't make the SOTU speech, but nuclear powered space flight is on the way.
To develop and demonstrate new power and propulsion technologies to overcome these limitations, the President's Budget proposes $279 million; ($3 billion over five years) for Project Prometheus, which builds on the Nuclear Systems Initiative started last year. Project Prometheus includes the development of the first nuclear-electric space mission, called the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter.
Looking at the breakdown of the budget provided, it looks like most of the money goes to JIMO, a robotic mission to Jupiter's moons which will use the first nuclear electric propulsion unit. It looks like actual spending on nuclear fissionpropulsion is actually cut by 22 million, and nuclear power by 5 million, deferring those costs to FY2005.
Of course, this budget still has to make it through Congress, and they usually slash away at NASA, although that may be more limited this year by Columbia.
Posted by Rich at February 4, 2003 5:06 PM