AM Space Project Receives Funding for Nuclear Fuel Research from UK Space Agency

The UK Space Agency is investing in several projects to advance space travel, and one of these initiatives involves 3D printing technologies! Researchers at the University of Bangor (Wales) have received £200,000 (approx 240,000 USD) from its Space Exploration Fund to develop a nuclear thermal fuel system and thermal-based characterisation. The total amount of funding, shared between various projects, totals £1.6 million.

The aim of the project is to test the performance of metallic and ceramic zirconium-containing nuclear fuels, which have the potential to be used for space propulsion – the method to accelerate spacecraft and artificial satellites. According to the press release, the benefit of AM is the manufacture of configurations and designs which would not be possible or easy with conventional methods.

Zirconium, tested in the project, is a common component of nuclear fuels. (Photo credit: Refractory Metal org)

The Minister of State with responsibility for Space at the new Department of Science, Innovation and Technology, George Freeman, is looking forward to what the project could hold for UK innovation, and for aerospace research.”Space is the ultimate frontier, laboratory and technology testbed. The UK’s long history of leadership in deep space science and exploration is key to both understanding our solar system and origins of life, and creating opportunities for our high growth SpaceTech sector”.