NASA to send nuclear-powered spacecraft to Mars in 2028. What to know

NASA could be sending a nuclear-powered spacecraft to explore the skies of Mars in two years.

The revelation about the new mission and the incredibly fast turnaround time to make it happen was mostly a footnote in the space agency's major announcement Tuesday, March 24, about its plans for a longterm moon base .

But the uncrewed venture to the red planet would be inextricably intertwined with NASA's Artemis campaign to return Americans to the lunar surface ahead of the first human expeditions to Mars .

The mission, which NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman referred to as Space Reactor 1 Freedom, would demonstrate "advanced nuclear electric propulsion in deep space" in a major step toward making the power source viable on the moon and elsewhere in space, the U.S. space agency said in a press release .

Once the spacecraft reaches Earth's planetary neighbor, it would deploy helicopters to explore Mars from above, NASA said.

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Firefly's Blue Ghost lunar lander captures its shadow on the moon's surface after completing a successful landing March 2 near a volcanic feature on the moon called Mons Latreille. The vehicle became the first of two landers manufactured by a U.S. company to reach the moon is 2025 in crucial missions to lay the groundwork for NASA to return humans to the lunar surface in the years ahead.

Here's what we know so far about NASA's new Mars mission.

What is Space Reactor 1 Freedom? NASA Mars mission could launch in 2028

NASA could launch the Space Reactor‑1 Freedom mission before the end of 2028 in the first demonstration of a nuclear-powered interplanetary spacecraft.

Such technology provides "an extraordinary capability for efficient mass transport in deep space and enables high power missions beyond Jupiter where solar arrays are not effective," according to NASA.

Nuclear-powered spacecraft would follow in footsteps of Ingenuity

When SR-1 Freedom reaches Mars, it would take up the objectives of a previously proposed mission called Skyfall.

That mission was designed to deploy helicopters on the Martian surface that would follow in the footsteps of Ingenuity , famed as the first aircraft in history to make a powered, controlled flight on another planet. Rendered incapable of future flight after crashing in January 2024 and damaging its rotor blade, the 4-pound Ingenuity performed 72 flights for nearly three years at Mars.

NASA believes the nuclear fission power systems the spacecraft demonstrates in reaching Mars could set the standard for future propulsion, surface and other longterm spaceflight missions.

NASA eyes nuclear power plant on moon

NASA announced the planned mission as the agency prepares for Artemis 2 , the first human spaceflight under its Artemis lunar program. While the four-person crew of Artemis 2 is not due to make a moon landing, the mission would set the stage for astronauts to make it back to the surface as early as 2028 .

The ultimate goal is for NASA to spend years constructing a permanent lunar base where operations would enable the first astronauts to reach Mars.

And harnessing nuclear power would be a massive breakthrough in enabling an alternative to solar power.

NASA announced in August its intention to put a nuclear reactor on the moon within the next decade, which could power a base during a lunar night – a period equal to about 14 Earth days in which the moon is not exposed to the sun. Data from the SR-1 Freedom mission could inform those plans.

Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@usatodayco.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NASA announces new Mars mission harnessing nuclear technology