An organisation pioneering the development of nuclear power for space exploration has moved to Space Park Leicester.
The National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) is working with academics and industry partners to develop nuclear fission-powered spacecraft for the European Space Agency. The ultimate aim is to create an efficient form of power to take us into the harshest of environments.
The organisation was established in 2008 and is government owned. It manages £1.5 billion worth of nuclear facilities and its central laboratory is said to be the most modern and advanced facility of its kind in the world.
Its team has created a process to extract Americium 241 from plutonium and repurpose it as fuel for systems developed by the University of Leicester – helped by the UK Space Agency – for use in future space missions.
By bringing the UK’s nuclear sectors and space sectors together it is developing technologies so European space missions can reach previously inaccessible regions of space and help us to learn more about the solar system.
NNL account director Professor Tim Tinsley said: “With the opening of an office at Space Park Leicester, we are committed to deepening our collaboration with the University of Leicester.
“This builds on 10 years of successful joint projects, delivering on our shared ambition for deployable space nuclear power.”
Space Park Leicester was created by the University of Leicester to provide an inspirational base for space researchers and businesses.
Its executive director, Professor Richard Ambrosi – whose own work focuses on space instrumentation and space nuclear power systems – said: “The synergies between the UK’s world class space and nuclear sectors are exemplified by the long-standing collaboration between the National Nuclear Laboratory and the University of Leicester in the development of space nuclear power systems and in particular radioisotope power technologies.
“We are proud to welcome the National Nuclear Laboratory to Space Park Leicester as part of our expanding collaboration and we look forward to exploring new opportunities with NNL.”
