DRACO (Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations)

DRACO — Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Demonstration

Program Overview DRACO (Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations) was a joint NASA/DARPA program established in 2023 to develop and demonstrate Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) technology. The program represented the first serious U.S. government effort to flight-test a nuclear thermal rocket since the cancellation of the NERVA program in the 1970s.

Strategic Relevance NTP is critical for the three-track architecture because it provides the intermediate step between chemical propulsion and fusion propulsion. A nuclear thermal rocket uses a fission reactor to heat propellant (typically hydrogen) to extreme temperatures, achieving specific impulses of 900+ seconds — roughly twice that of chemical rockets. This enables faster Mars transits (3-4 months vs 6-9 months) and rapid cislunar maneuvering.

Key Details

• NASA/DARPA joint program, established 2023
• $99M contract to Lockheed Martin as prime contractor
• BWXT (Babcock & Wilcox) provided the nuclear reactor
• DRACO was cancelled in 2025
• Succeeded by JETSON (Nuclear Electric Propulsion) program
• George Schmidt (NASA MSFC) was a key architect

Connection to the Three-Track Architecture DRACO represents the White Track's nuclear space propulsion efforts. It is the direct successor to the SP-100 space reactor program (1983-1994) and the classified Timberwind program (1987-1992). The cancellation of DRACO and pivot to JETSON (NEP over NTP) reflects the same technology transition pattern seen throughout the three-track architecture — programs are cancelled and rebranded, but the underlying technology persists.