Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

[deleted] t1_j7htp2z wrote

Reply to comment by jamiecarl09 in Rolls-Royce Nuclear Engine Could Power Quick Trips to the Moon and Mars by darthatheos

RR SMRs is a separate company to RR now (majority owned by RR still), so SMRs and microreactors will be developed concurrently and independently.

Either way, if they wait until SMRs hit the big time to dump money into microreactors it will be far too late and Westinghouse (eVinci) or someone else will have already dominated the market.

The space propulsion side is really nothing to do with RR and I don't think they are developing it as there is no expertise for that. They are simply providing new reactors, as they have done for 60 years.

6

ProjectDv2 t1_j7jrldg wrote

I don't think a company known for designing engines for automotive, marine, and aeronautic applications deciding to develop engines for interplanetary applications is nearly as farfetched as you believe it to be.

1

[deleted] t1_j7jsv1e wrote

Not farfetched at all, just it isn't happening at present. If they start hiring space propulsion experts tomorrow then it wouldn't shock me, but they don't have any today.

The RR microreactor will power someone else's nuclear propulsion tech.

2

JPhonical t1_j7myxvo wrote

>The space propulsion side is really nothing to do with RR

RR is currently studying nuclear propulsion for the UK Space Agency: https://www.rolls-royce.com/media/press-releases/2021/12-01-2021-rr-uk-space-agency-launches-first-study-into-nuclear-power.aspx

1

[deleted] t1_j7oi8h5 wrote

The study is "nuclear power for space exploration", it touched on propulsion but that was the extent of the effort.

1

JPhonical t1_j8cir2n wrote

Here's an article with a quote from Jake Thompson, Head of Innovation Products and Services at RR, " We’re working on nuclear thermal propulsion; really efficient, fast transport for space travel."

1