NASA Unveils Plan for First Nuclear-Powered Interplanetary Spacecraft

Set for a launch in 2028, SR-1 Freedom will lay the foundation for nuclear-powered space travel.

Concept art of NASA’s SR-1 Freedom nuclear-powered spacecraft unveiled during an event called “Ignition” at NASA headquarters in Washington on March 24, 2026. Screenshot/Courtesy of NASA

The first-ever nuclear-powered spacecraft built for interplanetary travel will set off on a mission to Mars in 2028.

The Space Reactor‑1 Freedom (SR-1 Freedom) project was unveiled in Washington on March 24. NASA leadership said it’s the first step toward nuclear power on the moon and for exploratory missions farther out in space, where solar panels and traditional chemical propulsion would be less and less effective.