Chinese scientists have allegedly developed a new 1.5-megawatt “shrinkable” fission reactor, reports the South China Morning Post (SCMP). The new reactor, they claim, could enable China to build a nuclear-powered spaceship, potentially for a trip to Mars and back.
The new lithium-cooled reactor is designed to expand from a container-sized volume into a structure as large as a 20-story building to power a spaceship. Developed in collaboration with research institutions around the country, this could help China build a rival to SpaceX’s much-vaunted Starship.
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