Weapons

The Pentagon Is Working on a Nuclear Thermal Rocket

The Pentagon is working on a “nuclear thermal propulsion” engine with the goal to be able to drive satellites around in space, The Daily Beast reports. This seems to be a multi-motivated effort to thwart other countries’ space progress, better mine resources from the moon, and also serve as a weapon. Like a well-rounded athlete or entertainer, the nuclear thermal propulsion system aspires to be a triple threat—literally.

If this sounds somewhat sinister, you’re not wrong, although it’s not any more or less villainous than any other defense thing. But that name...

“DARPA’s budget request for 2021, which the agency released in early February, asks for $21 million for the ‘Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations’ program, or DRACO,” The Daily Beast says. Cislunar refers to the area between Earth and the moon. Draco has strong malevolent Malfoy energy, but also just means “dragon” in Latin.