AAWSAP DIRD, Aneutronic Fusion Propulsion I, November 2010

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In a second design, a nuclear reactor would be used to generate electricity onboard a
spacecraft. The electrical power would provide energy for life support and much of the
reactor output could be used to power an ion drive where high voltages would
accelerate an ionized gas (usually xenon) to generate thrust. The thrust generated by
ion drives is typically small (millinewtons), but continuous acceleration could provide
enough velocity to reach Mars or the outer planets.
Nuclear reactors have been used on spacecraft in the past, although their use is
controversial. On 24 January 1978, for example, the Cosmos 954 Soviet spy satellite,
complete with onboard plutonium-fueled nuclear reactor, crashed into the Arctic region
of Canada.9 The cleanup cost the Canadian government over U.S. $6 million, half of
which was reimbursed by the USSR. The launch of a reactor into space always poses
the danger of problems related to an accidental reentry that could cause significant
hazards to populated areas.
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