A major step forward in space innovation has been achieved with the successful launch of what is being described as the world’s first commercially built nuclear-powered satellite. The satellite, named BOHR (Betavoltaic Orbital High-Reliability), was developed by Florida-based company City Labs and launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket during the Transporter-17 rideshare mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The Falcon 9 mission carried 81 payloads, with satellite deployment beginning around 50 minutes after liftoff.
BOHR is a demonstration mission created to test City Labs’ NanoTritium betavoltaic micropower source in space for the first time. Unlike conventional satellites that depend entirely on solar panels, the NanoTritium system generates electricity using beta particles released during the radioactive decay of tritium, a radioactive form of hydrogen. These particles are directly converted into electrical energy through a semiconductor device.
The technology is different from the radioisotope thermoelectric generators used on NASA spacecraft, which generate electricity from heat produced by decaying plutonium.
“This is a historic step for commercial nuclear power in space,” City Labs CEO Peter Cabauy said in a statement.
Although BOHR still relies on solar panels for its primary operations, the mission is designed to demonstrate how betavoltaic power systems could support future spacecraft operating in locations where sunlight is limited.
City Labs believes the technology could eventually power missions to permanently shadowed regions near the Moon’s south pole, where water ice is believed to exist. While the current system cannot power a lunar base, the company says the technology could be expanded for larger future applications.
The BOHR mission was funded through a US Department of Defense contract and is the first nuclear-powered mission approved under the US Federal Aviation Administration’s nuclear launch framework introduced in 2019. City Labs hopes the mission will support future commercial and national security spacecraft that use compact nuclear power systems.
Also read: Viksit Workforce for a Viksit Bharat
Do Follow: The Mainstream LinkedIn | The Mainstream Facebook | The Mainstream Youtube | The Mainstream Twitter
About us:
The Mainstream is a premier platform delivering the latest updates and informed perspectives across the technology business and cyber landscape. Built on research-driven, thought leadership and original intellectual property, The Mainstream also curates summits & conferences that convene decision makers to explore how technology reshapes industries and leadership. With a growing presence in India and globally across the Middle East, Africa, ASEAN, the USA, the UK and Australia, The Mainstream carries a vision to bring the latest happenings and insights to 8.2 billion people and to place technology at the centre of conversation for leaders navigating the future.