The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States in collaboration with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) of the US Department of Defense plans to test a nuclear rocket engine for Mars missions by 2027. This was announced on Tuesday by the head of the agency, Bill Nelson, speaking at a forum organized by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
"Our goal is to create and demonstrate a successful prototype of a nuclear rocket engine by 2027," Nelson added.