Share with friends and circle of friends with wechat scan QR code < / P > < p > < / P > < p > local time on Monday, DARPA, the R & D Department of the US Department of defense, awarded nuclear power < a target = "_ blank" href=" https://news.163.com/news/search?keyword=%E9%A3%9E%E8%88%B9 "> spacecraft < / a > project phase I contract, these companies will build and demonstrate nuclear power based orbit by 2025 < a target ="_ blank" href=" https://news.163.com/news/search?keyword=%E8%88%AA%E5%A4%A9%E5%99%A8 "> spacecraft < / a > propulsion system. < p > < p > General atomics, < a target = "_ blank" href=" https://news.163.com/news/search?keyword=%E6%B4%9B%E5%85%8B%E5%B8%8C%E5%BE%B7%C2%B7%E9%A9%AC%E4%B8%81 "> Lockheed Martin < / a > and Jeff Bezos' Blue origin won the DARPA contract to participate in the agency's" < a target = "_ blank" href=" https://news.163.com/news/search?keyword=%E5%9C%B0%E6%9C%88 "> agility between earth and moon < / a > < a target ="_ blank" href=" https://news.163.com/news/search?keyword=%E7%81%AB%E7%AE%AD "> rocket < / a > action demonstration" (Draco) program. DARPA hopes to demonstrate nuclear thermal propulsion technology, that is, using the hot core fuel rod of nuclear reactor to directly heat the low boiling point rocket fuel, make it instantly gasify and expand violently, and eject at high speed to generate thrust, so as to provide power for spacecraft leaving low earth orbit. According to DARPA, nuclear powered spacecraft has the potential to achieve high power of chemical propulsion system and high efficiency of power system at the same time. "This combination will make the Draco spacecraft more flexible in implementing the core DOD principle of rapid maneuver around the moon (between the earth and the moon)," the agency said < / P > < p > the contracts awarded to these companies are the first phase (18 months) of the program, which is divided into two tracks. In orbit a, general atomics will be responsible for the design and development of the nuclear thermal reactor and propulsion subsystem, with a contract value of $22.2 million. In orbit B, blue origin and Lockheed Martin will develop competing spacecraft concepts for demonstration of nuclear thermal propulsion systems. They have won contracts of $2.5 million and $2.9 million, respectively. < / P > < p > the goal of Draco is to launch a spacecraft powered by a nuclear thermal propulsion system over Leo in 2025. The agency believes that this technology will enable spacecraft to fly quickly over long distances. < / P > < p > bill Pratt, senior project manager of human exploration at Lockheed Martin, said: "nuclear thermal propulsion is a revolutionary technology that will greatly change the operation mode of spacecraft, increase flexibility, and allow more effective travel to Mars and beyond in a shorter time than traditional propulsion systems. Over the past few decades, we have done a lot of work in nuclear propulsion systems, and we will use this expertise to combine it with modern digital engineering, modern spacecraft design and creativity to advance this new capability. " < / P > < p > for blue origin, this is a new national security contract. The company focuses on a variety of space projects, including the development of the new Shepard, a tourist rocket, the new Glenn, a reusable giant rocket, and a manned lunar lander for NASA. Brent Sherwood, senior vice president for advanced development projects at blue origin, said: "we are pleased to support DARPA in developing spacecraft in this important technology area." < / P > < p > DARPA expects the first phase of the Draco project to be completed by the end of 2022, when the second phase of contract bidding will start. (small) < / P > < p >