The world’s first commercial nuclear-powered satellite has been launched into orbit atop of SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
Space manufacturer City Labs said its Betavoltaic Orbital High-Reliability (BOHR) power system will act as a dedicated power source for its test CubeSat, providing continuous, long-duration electrical power independent of solar energy.
City Labs’ nuclear technology is designed to allow space assets to continue operating when traditional power systems fall short. This includes in deep space, permanently shadowed lunar regions, and long-duration autonomous sensor networks.
With the US Department of Defence seeking less vulnerable power systems for military satellites, the BOHR CubeSat could point towards a future where tritium is used as an energy source instead of solar for key space assets.
The spacecraft will still use conventional solar power for satellite bus operations, while the NanoTritium system is used to power and validate the payload demonstration.
Nuclear systems...