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Scientists have developed a new form of nuclear propulsion that they claim could slash mission times to Mars<\/a> and enable voyages to the farthest reaches of the solar system.<\/p>\n A team from Ohio State University made the breakthrough using liquid uranium to directly heat rocket propellent in order to travel faster with less fuel.<\/p>\n The centrifugal nuclear thermal rocket (CNTR) system is more efficient than current rocket technologies, as well as other nuclear propulsion engines, according to the researrchers.<\/p>\n \u201cIn recent years, there has been quite an increased interest in nuclear thermal propulsion technology as we contemplate returning humans to the moon and working in cis-lunar space,\u201d said Dean Wang, an associate professor in mechanical and aerospace engineering at Ohio State. <\/p>\n \u201cBut beyond it, a new system is needed, as traditional chemical engines may not be feasible.\u201d<\/p>\n The research, which was partly funded by Nasa<\/a>, suggests that different types of propellant could be used for the next-generation engines, including chemical compounds like methane that can be mined from asteroids.<\/p>\n Several technical and engineering challenges still need to be overcome before it can be properly tested, with this expected to take another five years.<\/p>\n