September 9, 2025 by Liz McCrory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Collected at: https://techxplore.com/news/2025-09-powering-path-mars-reactor-bed.html
Nuclear energy is a leading option to power space exploration, but its success depends on reactors that can operate autonomously rather than relying on human operators in space.
To help make that vision a reality, Oak Ridge National Laboratory has built a non-nuclear test bed that mimics the conditions of a space nuclear reactor to overcome the high cost and strict regulations required for testing in a reactor environment. The research is published in the journal Energies.
This “hardware-in-the-loop” system—a system combining real hardware with computer models to simulate conditions—enables NASA and industry partners to rapidly develop and validate autonomous controls and hardware using cost-effective components and open-source software.
“Our test bed gives engineers the ability to push autonomous control systems to their limits in a safe, repeatable environment,” said ORNL’s Brandon Wilson. “That means we can identify and solve problems here on Earth—before astronauts rely on these systems millions of miles from home.”
More information: Brandon A. Wilson et al, Nuclear Thermal Rocket Emulator for a Hardware-in-the-Loop Test Bed, Energies (2025). DOI: 10.3390/en18164439
Journal information: Energies
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