What Happened
California Startup Antares Advances Space-Based Nuclear Power
The US Space Force has awarded a $161 million contract to Antares, a California-based nuclear startup, to advance a reactor design for powering spacecraft. The contract covers a nuclear ground demonstration and integration with a spacecraft, with the goal of enabling continuous, high-output power for space-based applications. Antares’ reactor design could potentially support heavier onboard computers, more aggressive orbital maneuvers, and power-hungry equipment such as directed-energy systems. The award was reported by Defence Blog.