Rolls-Royce awarded research funding to power space missions

Rolls-Royce has secured backing from the UK Space Agency to help create and develop nuclear energy systems to explore space.

The engineering giant has been awarded £1.18 million from the agency’s International Bilateral Fund.

Rolls-Royce has signed a ‘teaming agreement’ with US firm BWXT Advanced Technologies to develop new and novel nuclear applications in space, which utilise the core nuclear design and manufacturing strengths of each party.

The money from the UK Space Agency will enable strategic research partnerships within the UK space sector and emerging space nations to work together.

Steve Carlier, president at Rolls-Royce Submarines, which is based in Derby, said: “We are delighted to win the award for the second phase of the International Bilateral Fund and to be continuing our collaboration with the UK Space Agency and our international project partner BWXT.

“The Teaming Agreement between Rolls-Royce and BWXT brings together over 130 years of safe and secure nuclear delivery on both sides of the Atlantic.

“This new agreement builds on our complimentary core competencies and market knowledge from our respective countries.

“This enables us to build upon our existing relationship and explore potential strategic relationships and business arrangements to further develop nuclear technologies and products for space.”

All space missions depend on a power source to support systems for communications, life-support and science experiments.

Nuclear power has the potential to dramatically increase the duration of future space missions and their scientific value.

This latest tranche of investment follows £2.9 million of funding awarded to Rolls-Royce from the UK Space Agency under the Lunar Surface Nuclear Power Contract and Phase 1 of the IBF project in 2023, which delivered an initial demonstration of a UK lunar modular nuclear reactor.

Professor Anu Ojha, director of championing space at the UK Space Agency, said: “Our International Bilateral Fund bolsters international collaboration that harnesses the UK’s national expertise, supports new space capabilities and catalyses investment.

“This exciting research by Rolls-Royce to develop space nuclear power is an opportunity to showcase the UK as a spacefaring nation.

“Innovative technologies such as this one could pave the way for continuous human presence on the Moon, whilst enhancing the wider UK space sector, creating jobs and generating further investment.”

BWXT brings extensive experience in nuclear capability in the US, having manufactured nuclear components for over 70 years, complementing Rolls-Royce’s comparable experience in the UK.

Joe Miller, president of BWXT Advanced Technologies, said: “BWXT and Rolls-Royce share a commitment to creating and delivering nuclear energy systems to explore space, support global security imperatives and generate clean energy.

“This announcement, and our teaming agreement more broadly, allows our companies to use our complementary areas of expertise for this award and new opportunities to come.”

The agreement between Rolls-Royce and BWXT further strengthens UK and US collaboration on first-of-a-kind space technology innovation, as detailed under the Atlantic Declaration commitment.

In an announcement made by UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and US President Joe Biden in June last year, both countries pledged to study “opportunities for co-operation on space nuclear power and propulsion.”