NASA and DARPA have unveiled plans to test a novel nuclear thermal rocket engine—a technology capable of tripling propulsion efficiency compared to conventional chemical rockets. The project, dubbed DRACO, hinges on recent advances in nuclear fuel, with General Atomics reporting significant progress in testing fuel elements capable of withstanding the extreme conditions of an Nuclear…
Meet the minds behind the machine that helped propelling fusion research forward
It’s no wonder that a team of scientists at General Atomics won the “Team of the Year” R&D 100 Professional Award for their development of the 4Pi System. This metrology tool played a pivotal role in the historic achievement of fusion ignition at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in December 2022. Scientists demonstrated for the…