NASA and DARPA planning nuclear rocket that could put humans on Mars - Business Insider

The space agency aims to put humans on Mars for the first time by the late 2030s.

"With the help of this new technology, astronauts could journey to and from deep space faster than ever – a major capability to prepare for crewed missions to Mars," NASA administrator Bill Nelson said Tuesday.

NASA's recent successful Artemis I mission to the moon was only the first step in its plans to advance human space exploration.

Early missions to the red planet would only last about 30 days, so making sure that travel time is minimized is crucial.

Not only would they be able to carry a heavier workload, but they would also travel quicker than their chemical counterparts, per the press release.

NASA has also funded an application to develop a concept for a new type of nuclear-thermal propulsion system.