TYB
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day
October 12, 2026
Jupiter and the Moons
Explanation: How many moons can you see? The best answer is five: four orbiting Jupiter and Luna orbiting Earth. This multi-moon picture was possible because Earth's Moon moved directly in front of Jupiter last week. The featured image is a series of exposures near alignment taken from Westchester, New York, USA. The sunlit crescent of Earth's Moon, on the lower left, is overexposed, while the Moon's night side, on the upper right, is faintly illuminated by Earthshine. Lined up nearly vertically above our Moon, listed from bottom to top, are Jupiter's bright Galilean satellites: Ganymede, Io, Callisto, and Europa. Callisto, Ganymede, and Io are larger than Earth's Moon, while Europa is only slightly smaller. NASA's robotic spacecraft Juno is currently orbiting Jupiter and has made close passes near three of these moons.
https://science.nasa.gov/apod/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkEJSzH5nPo
Pluto Collapse Continues, Ozone Record Again, Solar Storms | S0 News and frens
Oct.12.2026
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIcBS0og0OE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTez_yf5dvA (Max Velocity: A MASSIVE Storm Is Coming…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygvnNz1S7cA (Mr Weatherman: Hurricane Simon Landfall Coming…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTVA5Ff4h8w (MrMBB333: THIS IS CRAZY! IT HAPPENED AGAIN! There seems to be a strange phenomenon sweeping the earth!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Zx9BBslVsc (On the Pulse with Silki: 25-FOOT WAVES DETONATE California Coast — Constant Bombardment as Rachel Moves Inland!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xp13ux38LlI (Ray's Astro: PANAMA EARTHQUAKE 7.7 | I Traced What Really Happened, Minute by Minute)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E68LLDngQ_c (EarthMaster: Many Aftershocks continue in Panama area with migration Northwest. Sunday Night Earthquake activity)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NypUfZrV54Q (Stefan Burns: They're Fighting To Keep Me Silent… Unusual connections exist between Krakatoa Volcano and Panama)
-
wildfires
https://www.actionnewsnow.com/video/shasta-county-wildfire-forces-evacuations-in-happy-valley/video_54aaca87-25ad-5a90-8cad-852fcf29be78.html
https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/northern-michigan-wildfire-burning-amid-drought-conditions
https://www.yahoo.com/news/weather-news/articles/fast-moving-wildfire-erupts-la-214825174.html
https://www.internazionale.it/ultime-notizie-reuters/2026/10/12/wildfires-spread-into-residential-areas-in-indonesia-s-bangka-belitung-destroying-over-300-houses
-
storms and floods
https://www.unilad.com/news/us-news/el-nino-winter-storm-america-states-473143-20261012
https://www.mensjournal.com/news/las-vegas-just-broke-a-daily-rainfall-record-heres-why-the-desert-city-floods-so-easily
https://san.com/cc/flooding-hits-southern-california-las-vegas-strip-as-newport-beach-declares-emergency/
https://brobible.com/sports/article/moab-240-cancelled-runners-volunteers-evacuated-weather/
https://www.capitalweather.com/isaiass-second-act-after-soaking-rain-severe-storms-possible-near-dc/
https://www.wxii12.com/article/town-of-candor-sees-significant-storm-damage/74102129
https://www.miragenews.com/un-launches-aid-operation-in-nepal-after-new-1758682/
https://www.nationthailand.com/news/general/40072167
-
tornadoes
https://www.weather.gov/ilm/October2026Tornadoes
https://levittownnow.com/2026/10/12/look-at-bucks-countys-record-breaking-decade-of-tornadoes/
https://www.savannahnow.com/story/weather/2026/10/12/tornadoes-hit-georgia-as-isaias-moved-through-heres-when-where/92215249007/
https://www.wwaytv3.com/tornado-leaves-trail-of-destruction-in-wallace-severe-weather-damages-business-in-colly/
1/2
-
hurricanes and frens
https://weather.com/2026/10/12/storms/hurricane/hurricane-isaias-recap-gulf-coast-florida-southeast
https://www.foxweather.com/weather-news/remnants-hurricane-simon-mulitday-flood-threat-great-plains
https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2026-10-12/cleanup-efforts-florida-hurricane-isaias%C2%A0-23132006.html
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/isaias-recovery-enters-third-day-120k-remain-without-power/832698/
https://www.redcross.org/about-us/news-and-events/news/2026/isaias-heads-to-gulf-coast-.html
https://www.accuweather.com/en/hurricane/hurricane-simon-bringing-destructive-winds-and-life-threatening-flooding-to-mexico/1945092
https://weather.com/2026/10/12/forecast/regional/tropical-storm-rachel-california-southwest-hurricane-simon-puerto-vallarta
https://www.nola.com/news/hurricane/atlantic-disturbance-cabo-verde/article_ee64cb5b-22a0-44de-9a20-f1eac313cacc.html
https://watchers.news/2026/10/12/category-3-hurricane-simon-remains-off-western-mexico-after-heavy-rain-floods-manzanillo/
-
earthquakes
https://qcostarica.com/panama-records-over-350-aftershocks-following-the-7-7-earthquake/
https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/26628557.cunard-cruise-ship-briefly-delayed-panama-earthquake/
https://reliefweb.int/report/panama/unicef-panama-situation-report-no-2-earthquake-11-october-2026
https://pa.usembassy.gov/united-states-mobilizes-rapid-earthquake-response-and-commits-5-million-in-disaster-response-support-to-panama/
https://www.redlandsdailyfacts.com/2026/10/11/earthquake-of-magnitude-3-1-detected-close-to-san-jacinto-in-riverside-county-on-oct-11/
https://www.koco.com/article/oklahoma-earthquake-alex-usgs/74107154
https://24.kg/en/article/4-magnitude-earthquake-hits-kyrgyzstan
https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/earthquakes/quake-info/23430452/mag4quake-Oct-11-2026-Russia-123-km-From-Severo-Kurilysk.html
https://www.al.com/news/2026/10/magnitude-52-earthquake-hits-southern-peru-coast.html
https://www.gulf-times.com/article/735566/international/57-magnitude-earthquake-strikes-indonesias-sulawesi-island
https://kanivatonga.co.nz/2026/10/magnitude-6-2-earthquake-strikes-near-vava%CA%BBu-tonga-met-rules-out-tsunami-threat/
-
volcanoes
https://news.am/en/news/1067270
-
dailys
https://schumannresonance.today/
https://www.weather.gov/
https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/map/
https://www.tornadohq.com/
https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/
https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/earthquakes-volcanoes/news/376944/Volcano-earthquake-report-2026-10-12.html
https://www.spaceweather.gov/
https://spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=12&month=10&year=2026
2/2
ESA’s Hera spacecraft gets first glimpse of target asteroid Didymos that was hit by NASA
October 12, 2026
ESA’s Hera spacecraft gets first glimpse of target asteroid Didymos that was hit by NASA
The European Space Agency's Hera spacecraft has imaged the Didymos-Dimorphos system from a distance of more than 100,000 miles.
It's the same system that was deliberately hit by NASA with its DART spacecraft.
The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Hera spacecraft has caught the first glimpse of its target binary asteroid system ahead of a critical maneuver this week.
Hera was able to identify Didymos against the background star field from an approximate distance of 146,954 miles, and it’s the first of many pictures the spacecraft will take of the space rock.
Didymos is the larger of two asteroids in the system and is orbited by Dimorphos. The latter was smacked by NASA's DART spacecraft on September 26, 2022, and Hera will now examine the aftermath of the impact.
ESA says that Hera was able to identify Didymos and its moonlet by combining multiple images and performing photometric analysis. In the picture, the two asteroids are only visible as a tiny pixelated dot, but they are finally in view.
“When Hera reaches Didymos, it will perform a close-up investigation of the impact site and measure in detail how Dimorphos responded to DART’s collision,” ESA said in a statement.
“These measurements will help turn the DART impact experiment into a well-understood and potentially repeatable planetary defense technique.”
What's next for Hera?
On October 15, Hera will perform a braking maneuver to fine-tune its trajectory toward Didymos. The spacecraft will fire its orbit control thrusters for 93 minutes to come close to matching the velocity of the two asteroids.
Later in November and December, Hera will enter the ‘early characterization phase’ to gather data on the asteroids’ size, shape, and other aspects from a distance of 15.5-18.5 miles before entering the ‘detailed characterization phase’—Hera will be at a distance of six miles at this point.
After deploying two CubeSats, it will eventually move even closer, flying less than a mile away from the smaller asteroid Dimorphos.
The mission team anticipates some surprises for Hera as it might enter a region filled with debris that resulted from DART’s impact.
The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) was launched by NASA in November 2021 with the objective of intentionally changing Dimorphos' path and testing whether it would work in case a giant space rock heads toward Earth for collision.
The spacecraft rammed into Dimorphos 10 months after launch, and post-impact analysis revealed that it altered the moonlet’s orbital period around Didymos by approximately 33 minutes.
What's more, the impact ejected so much material that it even managed to alter the whole binary system's orbital period around the Sun by 0.15 seconds.
The mission was a tremendous success, and now the Hera team is moving cautiously to carry out a post-impact survey.
“There’s a lot of uncertainty, especially in terms of the asteroid’s degree of tumbling due to the collision. We cannot simulate all probabilities but have to restrict ourselves to the more likely outcomes,” Flight Dynamics Engineer Michael Mueller stated.
“The prospect of some impact debris remaining in Dimorphos’s vicinity has not been entirely ruled out. So potentially there might be surprises ahead, but this is an adventure we’re looking forward to.”
https://starlust.org/esas-hera-spacecraft-gets-first-glimpse-of-target-asteroid-didymos-that-was-hit-by-nasa/
https://x.com/esaoperations/status/2107848444798791936
moar space objects
https://odessa-journal.com/jupiter-trojan-asteroid-officially-named-after-ukraines-yaroslava-mahuchikh
https://nerdtropolis.com/artemis-celebration-gala-nasa-astronauts-kennedy-space-center/
moar
https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2026/10/12/nasas-jet-propulsion-laboratory-welcomes-public-for-rare-tours/
https://starlust.org/meet-lisa-nasa-and-esas-million-mile-telescope-that-will-detect-invisible-ripples-in-space-time/
https://starlust.org/video/sl-kt-w144-mv57f077/
https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/antarctic-sea-ice-grows-to-its-2026-maximum/
Artemis Celebration Gala Brings NASA Astronauts Together at Kennedy
October 12, 2026
Apollo legends, Artemis II astronauts and global leaders will gather beneath the Saturn V rocket to celebrate humanity’s return to deep-space exploration and the future of sustainable space travel.
The next chapter of space exploration is bringing together the pioneers who helped humanity reach the Moon and the astronauts preparing to take us even further.
The Artemis Celebration Gala will unite NASA astronauts, Apollo veterans, international space leaders, business executives, and entertainment figures at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center on Nov. 6.
The celebration will take place beneath the legendary Saturn V rocket, honoring more than five decades of space exploration while looking toward humanity’s future beyond Earth.
Presented in partnership with NASA and produced by Purpose Entertainment, the gala will celebrate the historic success of Artemis II, which carried astronauts around the Moon and safely returned them to Earth in April.
The mission marked the first time humans traveled to the Moon’s vicinity in more than 50 years.
The event will also highlight the growing importance of international partnerships, commercial innovation, and sustainability as governments and private companies prepare for a new era of exploration.
The Sustainable Markets Initiative’s Astra Carta will serve as the gala’s presenting sponsor, placing responsible space development at the center of the celebration.
NASA and Apollo Legends Reunite for Historic Celebration
Few locations represent humanity’s achievements in space quite like Kennedy Space Center.
The gala will unfold inside the Apollo/Saturn V Center, home to one of the rockets that helped make NASA’s Apollo missions possible.
The venue provides a powerful connection between the astronauts who first ventured toward the Moon and those now preparing for the next generation of lunar missions.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman is among the announced attendees, alongside Artemis II astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Jeremy Hansen.
Wiseman commanded the groundbreaking mission, Glover served as pilot, and Hansen represented the Canadian Space Agency as a mission specialist.
Fellow Artemis II astronaut Christina Koch, who also completed the historic lunar journey, is additionally listed on the event’s astronaut appearance calendar.
The Apollo program will also be represented by two legendary astronauts whose contributions helped establish the foundation for modern space exploration.
Charlie Duke, who walked on the Moon during Apollo 16, and Rusty Schweickart, who flew aboard Apollo 9, are scheduled to attend.
Their presence offers a rare opportunity to connect two generations of lunar exploration, from the original Apollo missions to the ambitious plans behind Artemis.
Artemis II Marks a New Chapter in Lunar Exploration
Artemis II launched April 1, carrying Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft. The crew completed a nearly 10-day journey around the Moon before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean on April 10.
Unlike the Apollo missions that landed astronauts on the lunar surface, Artemis II was designed to test the spacecraft and essential systems required for future crewed missions.
The successful flight represented a significant step toward NASA’s broader goal of establishing a long-term human presence around and on the Moon, while developing technologies that could eventually support missions to Mars.
King Charles III’s Astra Carta Champions Sustainable Space Exploration
While the Artemis Celebration Gala will honor past achievements, its presenting sponsor is focused on the challenges that come with humanity’s expanding presence beyond Earth.
The Astra Carta, developed through King Charles III’s Sustainable Markets Initiative, provides a framework for encouraging responsible growth across the global space industry.
Founded in 2020 when Charles was Prince of Wales, the Sustainable Markets Initiative introduced the Astra Carta in 2023, building on the environmental principles established through its Terra Carta initiative.
The framework encourages cooperation between governments, businesses and international organizations while addressing the environmental impact of commercial space activity, satellite operations and future exploration.
1/2
Jennifer Jordan-Saifi, CEO of the Sustainable Markets Initiative, emphasized the importance of balancing scientific progress with environmental responsibility.
“If achieving a sustainable future is ‘The Growth Story of Our Time’, our sustainability-aligned ventures into space offer infinite possibilities,” Jordan-Saifi said.
“The Astra Carta and the Terra Carta represent a global promise that we will navigate the next frontier with wisdom, foresight, and responsibility.
As we embark on this journey to the stars, we must be relentless stewards for the spark of life our unique blue planet has nurtured.”
Her comments reflect a larger conversation emerging across the aerospace industry: How can humanity continue exploring the universe while protecting both Earth’s environment and the space surrounding it?
International Astronauts Join the Sustainability Conversation
Several Astra Carta Global Ambassadors are expected to attend the gala, bringing experience from human spaceflight, scientific research and environmental advocacy.
Among them is Tim Peake, the former European Space Agency astronaut who became the first British astronaut to visit the International Space Station as an ESA astronaut.
Former NASA astronaut Nicole Stott, whose career includes time aboard the International Space Station, will also attend. Stott has continued promoting the connection between space exploration, art and environmental awareness.
Dr. Kathryn D. Sullivan, a former NASA astronaut, geologist and oceanographer, brings another perspective to the event. Sullivan became the first American woman to perform a spacewalk and has spent decades advancing scientific exploration.
Joining them is Dr. Soyeon Yi, who became South Korea’s first astronaut, representing another milestone in international human spaceflight.
Together, the ambassadors will help advance discussions about how space technology and scientific cooperation can improve life on Earth while supporting responsible exploration beyond it.
Purpose Entertainment Celebrates the Legacy of Buzz Aldrin and Apollo
The Artemis Celebration Gala is being produced by Purpose Entertainment, led by founder and CEO Christina Korp.
Korp previously worked with Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, whose historic mission helped transform humanity’s understanding of what could be achieved through science, determination, and collaboration.
That experience helped shape her commitment to preserving the Apollo program’s legacy while inspiring new generations to pursue ambitious goals.
“Having spent years managing Apollo Moonwalker Buzz Aldrin, I’ve made it my mission to carry that inspiration forward and remind people that what once seemed impossible is possible,” Korp said.
“Through Artemis, we are witnessing history being made again. I’m especially proud that the Astra Carta is presenting this celebration, bringing together NASA, Apollo legends, and international partners around a shared vision of what humanity can achieve.”
The gala extends that mission by connecting the achievements of earlier generations with the scientists, astronauts, and innovators working to make future exploration possible.
A Celebration of Humanity’s Past and Future in Space
Beyond honoring Artemis II and the Apollo program, the celebration arrives as the commercial space industry continues expanding into new areas of research, transportation and technology.
Private companies are playing increasingly important roles in spacecraft development, satellite services and future lunar infrastructure.
With that growth comes questions about orbital debris, environmental responsibility, the sustainable use of resources, and how international organizations should cooperate as activity beyond Earth increases.
The Artemis Celebration Gala will bring many of the people helping shape those conversations together in a venue closely tied to NASA’s most historic achievements.
For more than half a century, the Saturn V rocket has represented a generation’s determination to accomplish what once seemed impossible.
Now, beneath that same symbol of exploration, another generation will gather to celebrate its own achievements and consider what comes next.
The celebration represents more than a tribute to the astronauts who made history. It also recognizes the international partnerships, technological advancements, and environmental responsibilities that will help define humanity’s next great journey into the cosmos.
The ARTEMIS CELEBRATION GALA takes place Nov. 6, 2026, at the Apollo/Saturn V Center at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
2/2
Anil Menon
@astro_anil
The Nights Watch! Nights are getting shorter and shorter during each orbit as we approach high beta where it’s always sunny in space.
I love the view from the cupola with the robotic arm poised and ready for action.
11:09 AM · Oct 12, 2026
https://x.com/astro_anil/status/2109708023908212954
moar
https://x.com/astro_anil/status/2109314386594595193
https://x.com/NASASpaceAlerts/status/2109313075597734329
https://x.com/NASA/status/2109320622882873464
https://x.com/NASA_Marshall/status/2109660361439809666
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman
@NASAAdmin
This is the most exciting time at NASA since the Kennedy era
@POTUS has given us the mission: return to the Moon, build the Moon Base, pioneer nuclear spaceflight, advance extraordinary science, and win the new space race.
It was great to see so many of those builders, scientists, and technologists recognized at the Golden Age of Science summit this week.
The President recognizes that American leadership requires taking on the big, bold endeavors that define American exceptionalism and empower the people with the talent and determination to turn those ambitious objectives into reality.
12:10 PM · Oct 11, 2026
https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2109361134356582557
moar
https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2109452962334437887
https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2109671170408579406
https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2109634195350040688
https://x.com/NASADepAdmin/status/2109357710227476607
https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/nuclear-technologies-in-space-from-batteries-to-future-rockets
Nuclear Technologies in Space: From Batteries to Future Rockets
12 October 2026
Nuclear technologies have supported space missions for decades and could play an even greater role in the future.
From compact sources of heat and electricity to high-impulse rocket engines, nuclear energy can provide power that is efficient, reliable and resilient in the harsh conditions of space.
Nuclear technologies already support satellites, deep-space probes, planetary rovers and landers, and space missions involving astronauts in orbit. They may one day help support human and robotic outposts on the moon and beyond.
Why Do We Need Nuclear Technologies in Space?
Solar power is the main energy source for most spacecraft and satellites, but its effectiveness declines with distance from the sun, making solar panels increasingly impractical for missions to the outer solar system and interstellar space.
Distance is not the only limitation: even much closer to our star, sunlight can be completely blocked, as it is in permanently shadowed craters on the moon, or it can be unavailable for extended periods, such as during the moon's two-week-long night or dust storms on Mars.
By contrast, nuclear power sources operate independently of sunlight.
Volume and mass are also constraints. Every gram and every cubic centimetre come at a premium in a vehicle built to leave Earth.
Solar panels need considerable surface area to capture enough sunlight, and the amount of chemical propellant a spacecraft can carry directly determines its range: more propellant extends a mission but also adds mass that makes the initial launch more demanding.
Since nuclear material is extremely energy-dense, it can extend a mission's range without the mass penalty of chemical propellant.
A Brief History of Nuclear Power Uses in Space
The first nuclear power sources used in space were developed in the early 1960s and have been used for deep-space missions ever since.
The two Voyager probes, launched in 1977, are still operating today, nearly 50 years on, powered the entire time by onboard nuclear batteries.
Fission reactors have also flown in space, from the late 1960s until the end of the 1980s. Several dozen low-power fission reactors were launched, each producing a few kilowatts of electricity for missions lasting from several months to a few years.
These devices demonstrated that a controlled fission reaction could operate reliably in orbit. Nuclear rocket engines have their own history. Several were developed and ground-tested in the 1950s and 1960s.
Nuclear technologies for use in space have developed alongside a framework of international oversight.
The need for clear safety standards became evident in the late 1970s, leading to the adoption of the Principles Relevant to the Use of Nuclear Power Sources in Outer Space in 1992, complemented by a joint United Nations-IAEA Safety Framework for Nuclear Power Source Applications in Outer Space adopted in 2009 to guide their responsible use.
What Are Nuclear Batteries and How Do They Work in Space?
In its simplest application, nuclear power in space needs neither a reactor nor a chain reaction. The natural decay of specific radioactive elements releases a steady supply of energy that can support low-power electronics and components.
The released energy can be used directly as heat or converted into electricity. Devices built on this principle are used on deep-space probes, Mars landers and rovers, and small satellites. They were also used during the moon landings.
1/2
There are two main ways to harness energy released by radioactive decay. Radioisotope heater units (RHUs) just produce heat and are only used to prevent sensitive instruments from freezing in cold environments such as the surface of Mars or deep space.
Radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) – often referred to as nuclear batteries – go a step further: they convert heat from radioactive decay into electricity. Their output is modest, typically from a few watts to several hundred watts.
However, they are extraordinarily long-lived and can provide steady power for decades because the radioactive fuel inside them decays so slowly.
Today, different radioisotopes and new designs are producing nuclear batteries that support smaller satellites and other compact applications that were previously impossible due to battery size.
What's Next for Fission Reactors in Space?
Unlike nuclear batteries powered by natural radioactive decay, fission reactors rely on a controlled nuclear chain reaction, which unlocks far more energy than an RTG or RHU.
The new frontier is nuclear microreactors: compact fission reactors designed to deliver anywhere from a few kilowatts up to 100 kilowatts of power for a decade or more. Some early-stage concepts envision outputs reaching several megawatts, although these remain under development. Independent of sunlight or surface conditions, microreactors' continuous energy output makes them strong candidates for supplying power to human or robotic outposts on the moon or Mars: they would enable astronauts to remain on the surface longer and let robotic systems operate with far greater autonomy. Several microreactor concepts have already been designed and ground-tested in recent years.
Learn about microreactors and small modular reactors (SMRs) in this article.
Can Nuclear Power Be Used for Rocket Propulsion?
Today's rockets rely on chemical propulsion: fuel and oxidizer burned together to produce thrust.
Nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP), which uses a fission reactor to heat propellant directly, can deliver specific impulse – how much thrust an engine gets from a given amount of propellant – that is more than twice that of today's baseline chemical rockets.
A related and still developing approach, nuclear electric propulsion (NEP), would power an ion or plasma thruster, extending that capability even further. In short: NTP provides a powerful burst of thrust, while NEP delivers lower thrust over a much longer period.
Nuclear Propulsion – Benefits and Possibilities
Nuclear engines could offer mission planners several advantages over chemical propulsion. They need less propellant, leaving more room on board for payload, supplies or scientific instruments.
They can also accelerate a spacecraft with more thrust, shortening the transit time. Faster transit is safer since it reduces the time astronauts are exposed to cosmic radiation, and it leaves them more time to carry out their mission at destination.
Future missions may combine chemical propulsion for the initial launch and boost, with nuclear power sustaining the journey beyond that.
Looking further ahead, even more powerful means of nuclear propulsion could be developed. Fusion could, in principle, provide energy densities significantly greater than those available from today’s fission systems.
These concepts for fusion propulsion are currently only under development – but they may yet have a role to play in the distant future of space travel.
The energy locked inside the atomic nucleus can be released and used at dramatically different scales to support space exploration, from compact batteries not much bigger than a coin, to reactors for future surface bases, to engines that do not yet exist.
The lessons learned from developing and deploying these nuclear technologies may prove to be valuable not just in space, but back on Earth as well.
2/2