Project ‘Nuklon’: Russia’s Ambitious Space Exploration with Nuclear-Powered Tug ‘Zeus’
The “Nuklon” project, considered a priority for the state corporation “Roscosmos,” is set to embark on an ambitious mission to conquer the Solar System. The Nuclear-Powered Tug or Transport Energy Module (TEM) named “Zeus” will be launched into orbit automatically, presumably in 2030 or 2033, with the assistance of the heavy carrier rocket “Angara-A5V.”
The project, coded as “Nuklon,” features a powerful compact nuclear reactor-equipped tug named “Zeus.” It will be placed in a radiation-safe orbit approximately 800 km above the Earth’s surface, minimizing the risk of the apparatus falling to Earth in case of an accident. The entire “life” of Zeus will unfold in space, with no planned return to Earth.
To ensure communication with the tug, which will be at a significant distance, relay stations located at the L1 Lagrange point will be employed. This point represents one of the gravitational stability points in space between Earth and Mars or Jupiter.
Project “Nuklon”:
Military expert Viktor Litovkin shared with “GORUS”:
“At the initial stage, the ‘Zeus’ tug will be engaged in the transportation and placement in near-Earth space of orbital devices designed for monitoring the Earth’s surface and conducting remote sensing of the planet’s subsurface for scientific and meteorological observations. It will transport military cargo and satellites intended for reconnaissance and precise targeting of high-precision weaponry. The TEM may be integrated into the early warning system for missile attacks. It is conceivable that it will host energy weapons, including lasers, electromagnetic pulse generators, electronic warfare systems, and more.”
Later, Zeus will be involved in delivering cargo to the Moon as part of the implementation of the Russian lunar program. Transport ships will dock with TEM, and Zeus will deliver the cargo to the Moon within 200 days before returning to its near-Earth orbit.
In the future, the tug will embark on voyages across the Solar System. Its missions will include flights to Venus and Mars in an unmanned mode. Zeus will complete these tasks faster and more economically than contemporary rockets with chemical propulsion. For the journey to the Red Planet, TEM will require 1.5 months and only 10 tons of fuel. In comparison, modern rockets would need four times more time and thousands of tons of fuel for the same task. It is anticipated that Zeus will play an active role in transporting everything needed to establish human settlements on Mars.
In the next stage, the tug will visit the orbits of the natural satellites of Jupiter and Saturn. Interestingly, contemporary spacecraft cannot compete with Zeus in transporting useful payloads across the Solar System. For rockets with chemical propulsion, the law applies: the farther the journey, the smaller the payload. In contrast, TEM will deliver the promised 10 tons to the Moon, Mars, and Jupiter. Moreover, unlike modern rockets, which embark on one-way journeys for long-distance flights, Zeus will return to its near-Earth orbit for cargo reception and necessary maintenance.
Transport ships will dock with Zeus in low-Earth orbit, and then the tug will fly with cargo to the Moon or Mars
Photo: Roscosmos TV video
Project ‘Zeus’
Currently, the work on the project and technological documentation, preceding the production process, is nearly complete. Elements of the “Zeus” tug’s hull are already being created. The computer simulation is used to fine-tune the process of placing the tug into orbit. According to online publications, this will be achieved through two launches of the A5V and A5M rockets.
The first launch will place the nuclear tug into the designated orbit in a folded state, including the energy block—a compact gas-cooled high-temperature reactor and the propulsion block articulated with a system of supporting transformer trusses, folded solar panels, and a docking element for receiving the working block. The second launch will carry the operational or instrument-aggregate block, the transporter with the payload, and a reserve of fuel for the plasma or ion engines of the tug.
The total weight of the TEM will be approximately 20 tons, with about 7 tons allocated for the reactor and engines. The Angara A5V carrier rocket is capable of placing up to 24.5 tons of payload into orbit.
The transformation of Zeus will occur automatically: the trusses will extend to a length of 50 meters, and the solar panels and radiators will unfold. Subsequently, the TEM will dock with the working and fuel blocks. In cases of urgent need, cosmonauts may participate in transitioning the tug to its operational state.
The tug will be equipped with an ion propulsion system located at the stern and four maneuvering engines for adjusting its pitch, yaw, and roll. A nuclear reactor with a power of up to one megawatt will provide Zeus with electricity throughout its operational life (approximately 10 years). The energy block will be equipped with robust anti-radiation protection, radiators, and a drip cooling system to prevent overheating. Solar panels will be mounted on extendable trusses.
Nuclear tug will be able to perform various tasks in space for 10 years
Photo: roscosmos.ru
A Leap into the Future: The Ion-Powered Space Odyssey of ‘Zeus’
Ion engines, despite having a modest thrust, offer significant gains in impulse. In these engines, xenon (or krypton/argon) is passed through an electromagnetic arc, ionizing and heating it into a hot plasma, which is expelled through a nozzle. This process can achieve an impulse of up to 300,000 m/s, gradually accelerating the spacecraft to high speeds—around 210 km/s. The operational lifespan of such propulsion systems is expected to reach 50,000 hours. During a voyage to Mars or Jupiter, the initial, relatively lengthy part of the journey (up to 100,000 km) will involve acceleration, and a similar portion will be dedicated to deceleration at the final destination.
Yuri Knutov, an expert in rocket technology and director of the Air Defense Museum, explained:
“Ion propulsion for the TEM is somewhat reminiscent of the electron gun of an old television’s cathode-ray tube. The source emits a stream of electrons, which ionizes, heats, and creates a plasma stream. The directed expulsion of this plasma backward provides the tug with the impulse for forward movement.”
To power such an engine, a robust source of electrical energy is required, and solar panels are unsuitable for this purpose. Therefore, ‘Zeus’ will be equipped with a compact gas-cooled fast-neutron nuclear reactor. A helium-xenon mixture will act as the heat carrier for the turbine, and highly enriched uranium will serve as fuel. In a vacuum, at absolute zero, the challenge in cooling the reactor lies in the absence of particles that heat up and absorb heat. To address this, designers have created a droplet radiator, capable of preventing the overheating of the tug’s power propulsion system.
‘Zeus’ represents a step into the future of space exploration. The advancement of technologies in line with the ‘Nuklon’ project’s goals will enable humanity to explore the solar system and venture beyond its boundaries.
What’s next? The development of rocket technology holds promising prospects. Talks are already underway about creating thermonuclear engines, the implementation of which could allow a journey to the Alpha Centauri star system in just 12 years.
Alexander Sharkovsky