Rolls Royce’s 120-inch-long mini space nuclear reactor gets funding boost

Rolls-Royce has secured funding from the United Kingdom Space Agency under the National Space Innovation Program (NSIP) for more support to the development of its space nuclear power technology.

The $6.2 million (£4.8 million) award will help Rolls-Royce advance the development and demonstration of key technologies in the space nuclear micro-reactor.

The Rolls-Royce NSIP will have a total project cost of $11.7 million (£9.1m), it aims to bring the reactor closer to a full system space flight demonstration.

The company says it will develop the whole system design, underlying capabilities and key technologies in collaboration with academic partners from the University of Oxford and Bangor University.

Nuclear fission reaction tech in space

The project is being carried out to meet the demand for reliable power supply in space, which can help enable long-term exploration on the Moon and beyond.

The company had unveiled the conceptual model design of a nuclear Space Micro-Reactor that may one day supply electricity for a lunar settlement.

The prototype was presented at the UK Space Conference held in Belfast last year.

The unavailability of sunlight on the south side of moon poses a problem for researchers and other expeditions.

This is where the nuclear-powered reactor can come in handy, and it could also lay the groundwork for powering continuous human presence on the Moon.

The small and lightweight nuclear reactor would remain unfazed by the absence of sunlight on the Moon, making it ideal for the outpost located inside a dark crater at the south pole.

The tiny reactor, which is claimed to be 3.3 feet (40 inches) in width and 10 feet (120 inches) in length, is not yet able to generate any electricity. If all goes as planned, it will take roughly six years and several million dollars to prepare the reactor for its first space flight.

Funding the Rolls-Royce’s mini-reactor

This latest investment follows the announcement of $1.5 million (£1.18M) awarded to Rolls-Royce from the UK Space Agency in April this year, under Phase 2 of the International Bi-Lateral Fund.

This was preceded by $3.7 million (£2.9 M) of funding awarded in 2023 under the Lunar Surface Nuclear Power Contract and Phase 1 of the IBF project in 2023, which delivered an initial concept of a UK lunar modular nuclear reactor.

“This funding is a pivotal point in our Micro-Reactor program and will accelerate our technology progression, bringing us a step closer to powering inspiring human endeavors in space,” said Jake Thompson, Director of Novel Nuclear & Special Projects, Rolls-Royce, regarding the most recent funding.

“The future of space exploration is greatly dependent on the ability to generate high levels of consistent power and our nuclear Micro-Reactor is the solution that will offer safe, reliable and flexible power to a broad range of space missions.”

Moreover, Dr Paul Bate, CEO of the UK Space Agency, said that the NSIP will help kickstart growth, create high-quality jobs, protect the planet and preserve the space environment for future generations.

“New projects like this one, led by Rolls-Royce, go to the heart of what we want to achieve as a national space agency that supports cutting-edge innovation, spreads opportunity across the UK and delivers the benefits of space back to citizens on Earth,” Bate said.