---
title: "Head of NASA: Nuclear Propulsion Could Be “Game-Changer”"
description: "NASA chief Jim Bridenstine believes that thermal nuclear propulsion technology would be a game-changer for space exploration."
date: "2019-08-23"
modified: "2019-08-23"
authors:
  - name: "Dan Robitzski"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/danrobitzski"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasa-nuclear-propulsion-game-changer"
categories:
  - "NASA"
  - "Space"
tags:
  - "mars"
  - "NASA"
  - "nuclear propulsion"
  - "space"
  - "the digest"
---

# Head of NASA: Nuclear Propulsion Could Be “Game-Changer”

![NASA chief Jim Bridenstine believes that thermal nuclear propulsion technology would be a game-changer for space exploration.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/nasa-nuclear-propulsion-game-changer.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: NASA\</em\>*

## Future Rockets

America, China, and Russia are all working to develop rockets powered by thermal nuclear propulsion, a technology that NASA chief Jim Bridenstine says could be a "game-changer" for the space agency.

Bridenstine gave a presentation on the importance of developing nuclear propulsion tech during a meeting of the National Space Council on Tuesday, *[Space.com reports](<https://www.space.com/nuclear-propulsion-future-spacecraft-nasa-chief.html>).* If NASA cracks the tech, Bridenstine told the crowd it could revolutionize space travel by powering high-speed Mars-bound rockets, outposts and [settlements in outer space](<https://futurism.com/nasa-nuclear-powered-tunnel-bot-life-europa>) — and give a high-powered upgrade to satellites orbiting the Earth.

## Big Investment

As part of its annual budget, Congress [granted NASA $125 million](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasa-develop-nuclear-rockets>) for nuclear propulsion research in May, despite the space agency not requesting a single penny for it. But it seems as though Bridenstine has come around to the idea. *Space.com* reports that he directly addressed Vice President Pence during his speech to argue that nuclear propulsion recommended "an amazing potential."

Specifically, he was interested in how a faster trip to and from Mars would mean [exposing astronauts](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/space-radiation-mars-mission-deadly>) to less of the [brain-melting cosmic radiation](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/mars-radiation-mouse-brains>) that would bombard them for the entire journey.

"That is absolutely a game-changer for what NASA is trying to achieve," Bridenstine said, per *Space.com*. "That gives us an opportunity to really protect life, when we talk about the radiation dose when we travel between Earth and Mars."

**READ MORE:** [Nuclear Propulsion Could Be 'Game-Changer' for Space Exploration, NASA Chief Says](<https://www.space.com/nuclear-propulsion-future-spacecraft-nasa-chief.html>) \[*Space.com*\]

**More on nuclear propulsion:** *[NASA’s New Contract Could Change the Way We Approach Space Travel](<https://futurism.com/nasas-new-contract-could-change-the-way-we-approach-space-travel>)*

## Author
Dan Robitzki is a senior reporter for Futurism, where he likes to cover AI, tech ethics, and medicine. He spends his extra time fencing and streaming games from Los Angeles, California.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/danrobitzski>)