The US space agency NASA has outlined a series of mission goals, including a return to the Moon by early 2028 and a Mars mission in the same year using nuclear propulsion technology.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, speaking at the agency's "Ignition" event earlier this week, stated that by focusing NASA's resources on the National Space Policy objectives, removing obstacles, and leveraging the nation's workforce and industrial capabilities, achievements beyond returning to the Moon and building a base will be possible in the coming years.
The announcements highlight a significant advancement in transitioning nuclear power and propulsion from laboratories to space. NASA plans to launch the Space Reactor-1 Freedom, the first nuclear-powered interplanetary spacecraft, to Mars before the end of 2028. This mission will demonstrate advanced nuclear electric propulsion in deep space, which offers efficient mass transport and enables high-power missions beyond Jupiter where solar arrays are ineffective.
Upon reaching Mars, the spacecraft will deploy the Skyfall payload of Ingenuity-class helicopters to continue exploring the planet. The mission aims to establish flight heritage for nuclear hardware, set regulatory and launch precedents, and activate the industrial base for future fission power systems across propulsion, surface, and long-duration missions. NASA and its US Department of Energy partner will develop capabilities for sustained exploration beyond the Moon and eventual journeys to Mars and the outer solar system.
Plans for returning humans to the Moon's surface are also ongoing. NASA announced on March 26 that teams at Kennedy Space Center in Florida are preparing the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft for a crewed launch as early as 1 April. This rocket will take four crew members around the Moon and back to Earth as part of the developing programme for astronauts to land on the Moon in 2028.
