Miami-based City Labs is all set to launch the world\u2019s first commercial nuclear-powered satellite into orbit.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Solar panels have a dark side. When a satellite slips into the shadow of the Earth, hits a permanently dark lunar crater, or drifts into deep space, its solar arrays become useless. Batteries can step in, but they eventually die.<\/p>\n
City Labs thinks nuclear energy could solve this persistent problem. On July 7, the company announced that its BOHR (Betavoltaic Orbital High-Reliability) satellite had secured a launch slot on a SpaceX Transporter-17 rideshare mission.\u00a0<\/p>\n
According to reports, SpaceX has scheduled the launch of its Transporter-17 rideshare mission for Tuesday, July 7, at 3:10 a.m. ET. The launch will mark a massive historic milestone. BOHR will be the first-ever nuclear CubeSat to enter orbit.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a historic step for commercial nuclear power in space,\u201d said Peter Cabauy, CEO of City Labs. \u201cBOHR demonstrates that safe, compact, and regulatory-approved nuclear power systems are ready for routine commercial deployment. This capability enables persistent, always-on payload operations that are not constrained by sunlight or battery life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Secures FAA approval<\/p>\n
Engineered for safe handling, transportation, and integration into standard commercial launch environments, City Labs\u2019 tritium-based power systems operate at extremely low radiation levels.\u00a0<\/p>\n
BOHR\u2019s core technology is City Labs\u2019 proprietary NanoTritium\u2122 betavoltaic system,<\/a> which generates continuous power from the natural beta decay of tritium rather than nuclear fission.\u00a0<\/p>\n Compared to space-bound nuclear reactors, betavoltaic cells operate with no moving parts, no liquid electrolytes, and zero risk of fire or thermal runaway. Furthermore, as the tritium<\/a> fuel naturally decays, it harmlessly transforms into helium-3, a completely stable and non-radioactive isotope.<\/p>\n This process operates at safe, ultra-low radiation levels suitable for standard commercial handling. In this mission, the nuclear battery will run and validate the primary payload independently, while a solar power system manages the main satellite bus operations.<\/p>\n Getting a nuclear<\/a> payload onto a commercial rocket isn\u2019t easy.<\/p>\n In fact, it requires cutting through some of the toughest regulatory red tape on Earth. BOHR represents the first commercial space mission to successfully navigate the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) pathway for nuclear launch approval, a framework established under National Security Presidential Memorandum-20. The safety analysis was led by City Labs\u2019 Kevin Makinson and independently validated by Sandia National Laboratories.<\/p>\n The FAA issued its definitive payload authorization on September 30, 2025.<\/p>\n Advancing space exploration <\/p>\n Backed by the Department of War, NASA<\/a>, and the Air Force Research Laboratory, the mission arrives at a key time for space exploration. <\/p>\n