https://community.element14.com/technologies/power-management/element14's Power & Energy group is where an engineer or a maker can learn about AC/DC power, DC/DC converters, switching regulators, LDOs, ultra-low power, energy harvesting, energy storage, supercapacitors, and power management ICs.en-USTelligent Community 12https://community.element14.com/technologies/power-management/b/blog/posts/nasa-plans-to-launch-a-nuclear-reactor-in-spaceFri, 04 Sep 2026 22:24:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:baec99ed-dbe2-46f8-9554-2de76ec98f85CatwellArtist’s concept of the Space Reactor-1 Freedom spacecraft flying past Mars. (Image Credit: NASA ) Solar power can be limited for deep space travel. When spacecraft move farther away from the sun, the sunlight reaching their solar panel weakens. To address that issue, NASA is turning to a nuclear reactor for its deep space propulsion test. And that starts with the Space Reactor-1 Freedom spacecraft , expected to launch in late 2028. This mission will also carry three small SkyFall helicopters to survey the terrain and find potential landing sites for crewed missions. Nuclear fission will produce power for the spacecraft. The onboard reactor uses High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) as fuel, which undergoes fission. Heat is released before being turned into electricity through a closed Brayton cycle power conversion system. Overall, the system generates 20 kW of electricity. The Power and Propulsion element produces 48 kW of power for the systems and propulsion, which has a 12-kW Hall thruster. Electric propulsion doesn’t need as much propellant as chemical propulsion because it expels propellant at higher velocities. While electric thrusters generate low thrust, they run for hundreds or thousands of hours, delivering sustained acceleration for deep space missions. The flight path of Freedom’s journey to Mars. (Image Credit: NASA ) Set for a late 2028 launch, Freedom arrives at Mars in 2029. Once there, it will cruise by the planet. NASA can then test nuclear-electric propulsion in deep space without landing the spacecraft. Doing it this way reduces risks with using nuclear systems in space. Tests like these could help the space agency prepare for future nuclear-powered missions. Additionally, the Space Reactor-1 Freedom will deliver the SkyFall payload. SkyFall enters the Mars atmosphere, deploying three Ingenuity-style helicopters in mid-air after the parachute and braking rockets slow down the descent. Afterward, the helicopters fly away and land on the surface. With ground-penetrating radar and imaging equipment aboard, the helicopters are expected to help find subsurface ice. It’s also designed to measure wind speed, air temperature, and wind direction. This isn’t the first time nuclear technology is being used in space. In 1965, the US Air Force and the Atomic Energy Commission launched SNAP-10A, the first nuclear reactor in space. It only lasted 43 days and generated over 500 watts of power. NASA is also developing a nuclear-fission reactor to provide power on the moon. The system could produce 40 kW of power on lunar nights. Freedom serves as a test mission for building nuclear propulsion experience. Have a story tip? Message me here at element14.alternative energyreactornasaspacepowerenergyinnovationhttps://community.element14.com/technologies/power-management/f/forum/57199/what-is-you-surge-suppression-experience/238013Thu, 03 Sep 2026 22:10:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:ca6f7478-343f-4b46-be8a-5de477410f6bcolporteurI'm OK with changing the forum. I like the discussion, it is expanding my knowledge. What if anything do I need to do?https://community.element14.com/technologies/power-management/f/forum/57199/what-is-you-surge-suppression-experience/238006Wed, 02 Sep 2026 21:39:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:3428262d-06cd-4284-bad4-c7c6ea7d1391geralds[quote userid="37381" url="~/technologies/power-management/f/forum/57199/what-is-you-surge-suppression-experience/237921"] gibt es GPS-Antennen und Kameras. [/quote] GPS? shure? Or are they WLAN-antennas? All these buildings needing a potential ground system, a lightning rod from the roof to the ground. What's in the Silos?https://community.element14.com/technologies/power-management/f/forum/57199/what-is-you-surge-suppression-experience/238005Wed, 02 Sep 2026 20:53:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:c840cf0a-5652-4fc1-847e-1e305c6ce9c0shabazHi Gerald, Very useful information!https://community.element14.com/technologies/power-management/f/forum/57199/what-is-you-surge-suppression-experience/238000Wed, 02 Sep 2026 14:40:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:d86a79c5-af56-4436-a734-f281f3347c0dgeraldsHi, First, to put it simply: I highly recommend a fiber optic cable connection. Why?!!!! -> Because you have two major problems, plus a few other minor issues that also play a role. 1) Lightning strikes 2) Different grounding potentials between the buildings. 1.a) Lightning strikes can NEVER be intercepted with just a single component. That's the "minor" issue I was referring to. Please look here at Eaton, USA (I use this in EU, Austria): https://www.eaton.com/us/en-us/products/backup-power-ups-surge-it-power-distribution/surge-protection.html#sortCriteria=%40p_navigation_title%20descending%2C%40page_title%20descending%2C%40title%20descending&f-product_attributes_product_status=Active&enableQuerySyntax=true&cq=%40sub_category_id%3D%3D%22surge-protection-devices%22%20AND%20%40country%3D%22us%22%20AND%20%40language%3D%22en_US%22 So, the building needs a foundation grounding system, which is driven very deep into the ground in the center. There are regulations regarding whether there needs to be one or more of these; this depends on the size of the building site. You've roughly illustrated the extent in the video, about 300m on each side, approximately... Therefore, also because there are several buildings, multiple foundation grounding systems are necessary; depending on the size, two or three. This also depends on where the power source is located and where the transformer is situated. The point is: The power lines, in this case the lightning strike from where it would originate, create a voltage cone. Within this voltage field, the building's infrastructure, and even living beings with their step voltages, can be affected. Therefore, first , the building must be protected with a lightning rod. This lightning rod already dissipates a significant amount of energy. Second , the building needs surge protection for the three-phase power supply in the distribution box, directly at the inlet of the power line, along with an RCD (residual current device) and fuses. With this surge protection, you can also install filters if a modem is installed that transmits data over the power line. Third , surge protection devices for the equipment are then installed in the building, for example, as you showed in your post. For the building, it is crucial that the protective earth conductor (PE) is very well connected to the foundation earth electrode, located at the bottom of the building on the equipotential bonding bar. For the building, it is important that the protective earth conductor (PE) is very well connected to the foundation earth electrode, which is connected to the equipotential bonding bar at the bottom of the building. The better these buildings are connected to the ground, the better the grounding potential between them. The lower the grounding potential, the better, ideally less than 2 volts. The problem is minimized between buildings when you need to run data cables; underground is better than above ground. The shielding of the LAN cable then acts as a ground conductor because it's connected to the protective earth (PE). Be careful not to create a ground loop . Precisely for this reason, I recommend using fiber optic cable instead of copper cable. Since you need power and LAN in all buildings, you can use fiber optic cable as the "backbone." The LAN cabling infrastructure is then located within the building. Strictly speaking, this would eliminate the need for a wireless setup. In my experience, wireless LAN has its own set of problems, mostly related to weather conditions. Whether fiber optic or wireless, you'll need to use data converters in both cases. So, the effort involved is comparable. Fiber optic cables might be a bit more expensive to install, but after that you practically have no problems, unless an excavator tears the cable off, or the laser diode weakens after many years. This was just the first thinking about, ok. In the 1990s and 2000s, I offered these devices at my company as an electronics technician. Later, I was an electrician for the railway. Now I'm retired. If you like, you can post here some details of your project. Best Regards Gerald