The current technology enables astronauts to travel to and from Mars in roughly 500 days, but U.S. scientists are working on a revolutionary nuclear fusion-powered rocket that could cut the round-trip time down to just six months. This breakthrough could revolutionize deep space exploration, making missions to Mars more feasible and efficient in the coming decades.
Nuclear fusion is a process where atomic nuclei combine to release massive amounts of energy. This is what powers the sun and stars, and it's also the principle behind hydrogen bombs. Scientists have long been trying to harness this energy for peaceful purposes, and now, they're getting closer than ever.
According to a recent report by the U.S. Space Network, MSNW, a private space technology company, has shared with NASA its progress on developing a nuclear fusion rocket. They claim that while it may sound like science fiction, the concept is already grounded in real physics and has been tested in laboratories. The company believes that sending humans to Mars within 90 days might be possible within a few decades.
Anthony Pancoti, a scientist at MSNW, said, "This will become a reality." He added, "Nuclear fusion isn't just something that happens in the sun—it’s happening in our labs too."
According to Pancoti’s team, a round-trip mission to Mars could take only 210 days: 83 days to get there, 97 days to return, and 30 days spent on the Red Planet. The rocket works by injecting a hydrogen isotope, helium plasma, into a metal chamber and using magnetic field compression to trigger nuclear fusion, generating the propulsion needed. Solar panels are also used to provide the initial energy required to start the fusion process.
The researchers are currently building experimental equipment that matches the scale of a real rocket and hope to make significant progress next year.
NASA estimates that a current Mars mission would take around 500 days, requiring large amounts of chemical fuel, which makes it extremely expensive—launch costs alone could exceed $12 billion. Plus, the long duration in space poses serious health risks for astronauts.
In line with this, former President Barack Obama set a goal for the U.S. to send astronauts to Mars in the mid-2030s. To achieve this, NASA is investing in advanced propulsion systems, including supporting MSNW and the University of Washington through its "Innovative Advanced Concept Project." (Reporter: Lin Xiaochun)
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