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NASA, DARPA partner with Lockheed Martin nuclear-powered spaceship

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Lockheed Martin, a prominent weapons manufacturer, has been chosen by a US Department of Defense agency and NASA to lead the development of a nuclear-powered spacecraft under the ambitious Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) project. 

The groundbreaking contract, valued at approximately $500 million, aims to revolutionise space exploration with the introduction of nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) engines. 

The project envisions a faster and more efficient propulsion system, with nuclear-powered rocket engines transferring heat from a reactor to hydrogen propellant to produce thrust. This advancement holds the potential to significantly reduce transit times between destinations, a critical factor in safeguarding crew members from radiation exposure during human missions to Mars.

Kirk Shireman, Vice President of Lunar Exploration Campaigns at Lockheed Martin Space, expressed excitement about the project’s potential: “These more powerful and efficient nuclear thermal propulsion systems can provide faster transit times between destinations. Reducing transit time is vital for human missions to Mars to limit a crew’s exposure to radiation.”

Lockheed Martin will collaborate with Virginia-based BWX Technologies to create the nuclear fission reactor for the engine, while the Department of Energy will contribute high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) fuel for the reactor.

The DRACO project aims to achieve the first-ever in-space demonstration of nuclear thermal propulsion. Previous attempts, such as NASA’s NERVA program in the 1960s and 70s, focused on developing nuclear-powered rocket engines for deep-space missions, but no operational flights were executed.

With safety being the top priority, Lockheed Martin emphasised that the reactor will remain inactive until the spacecraft reaches a nuclear safe orbit, ensuring the system remains benign until it reaches a safe environment. Tabitha Dodson, programme manager for the DRACO program at DARPA, further clarified, “A reactor that has never been turned on is cold and benign. You can put your hand right inside the core and touch the fuel like you would any other heavy metal.”

However, concerns about potential operational failures during launch or in space have been raised. A launch failure plunging the spacecraft into the ocean could pose risks of radioactive material dispersion. To mitigate this, BWX Technologies plans to install “poison wires and poison systems” to prevent the reactor from becoming a major hazard if it comes into contact with water.

The demonstration of the nuclear thermal rocket engine is scheduled for no later than 2027, promising exciting possibilities for faster and more efficient space travel. As Lockheed Martin spearheads the historic project, experts will closely monitor its progress, marking a significant leap towards the future of space exploration and defense.

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Moon train operations are planned by NASA.

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The goal is to construct the first lunar train system, which will enable safe, independent, and effective cargo transportation on the moon, according to robotics specialist Ethan Schaler of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

He went on, “The day-to-day functioning of a sustainable lunar base in the 2030s will depend heavily on a robust, long-lasting robotic transport system.”

The Flexible Levitation on a Track, or FLOAT, is the name of the proposed lunar rail system. According to NASA, the establishment of a railway system on the moon is “critical to the daily operations.”

According to the space agency, the primary objective of FLOAT is to offer transportation services in regions of the moon where astronauts are engaged in activities. To do this, cargoes of lunar soil and other materials will need to be transported to various regions of the moon.

Each robot will be able to transport cargo of various sizes and shapes at a pace of roughly 1 mph (1.61 km/h), according to Dr. Schaler.

Notably, NASA also declared new initiatives last month to create and test new vehicle models intended for moon exploration.

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Business

Pakistan’s lunar mission ‘ICUBE-Q’ reaches the moon orbit.

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Pakistan’s lunar mission (ICUBE-Q) entered orbit around the moon on Wednesday.

Pakistan’s historic lunar mission (ICUBE-Q) launched from Hainan, China, on Friday aboard China’s Chang’E6 spacecraft.

According to the IST, the satellite ICUBE-Q was planned and developed in partnership with China’s Shanghai University SJTU and Pakistan’s national space agency SUPARCO.

The ICUBE-Q orbiter is equipped with two optical cameras to image the lunar surface. ICUBE-Q has now been integrated into the Chang’e6 mission after successfully qualifying and testing it.

Chang’e6 is the sixth lunar exploration mission launched by China.

The launch event was streamed live on the IST website and social media platforms. Chang’6, China’s Lunar Mission, will land on the Moon’s far side to collect surface samples before returning to Earth for further research.

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Education

The establishment of IT labs in Islamabad’s educational establishments

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SIFC was established to improve the ease of doing business for potential investors through a “Whole of Government”Approach”—achieving optimal horizontal-vertical synergy and facilitation by the Pakistan Army—and to attract investments from friendly countries in selected sectors through an empowered organisation that serves as a “single-window” platform for facilitation.

The children will learn the newest skills in these state-of-the-art IT labs, expanding their employment prospects.

These IT laboratories will be constructed in sixteen degree colleges spread throughout various parts of Islamabad.

Students will take six-month courses in artificial intelligence (AI), game development, data science, and block chain in these IT labs.

Approximately 1,000 students will have access to courses in the first phase, which is being implemented in response to market demand.

The National Vocational and Technical Training Commission has worked with esteemed universities such as NUST, National Skills University, COMSATS, and NUML to produce these courses.

The second week of this month will mark the start of these classes. For these courses, about 3,600 students have signed up.

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