The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has signed a contract with Space Nuclear Power Corporation (SpaceNukes) to develop and test autonomous nuclear reactor control technologies. The initiative is part of the Fast Capacitance (Fat Cat) program and builds upon the previous Kilopower project.
The project focuses on designing, sourcing components, and assembling a reactor featuring active control rods. These rods adjust the intensity of the nuclear reaction to regulate power output. This approach differs from the passive architecture tested in 2018 during the KRUSTY project, which utilized Stirling technology.
SpaceNukes and the Los Alamos National Laboratory are leading the development, with component integration scheduled to take place at the company's facility in Ohio. The objective is to validate engineering solutions for autonomous reactor management, ensuring reliable power supply for missions requiring rapid load adjustments.
While the 2018 KRUSTY tests demonstrated basic fission-to-electricity conversion, the current phase aims to verify active management mechanisms. DARPA envisions these reactors providing power for spacecraft and lunar surface operations where solar energy is insufficient. The contract is strictly limited to ground-based testing.
