-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- smt007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueMoving Forward With Confidence
In this issue, we focus on sales and quoting, workforce training, new IPC leadership in the U.S. and Canada, the effects of tariffs, CFX standards, and much more—all designed to provide perspective as you move through the cloud bank of today's shifting economic market.
Intelligent Test and Inspection
Are you ready to explore the cutting-edge advancements shaping the electronics manufacturing industry? The May 2025 issue of SMT007 Magazine is packed with insights, innovations, and expert perspectives that you won’t want to miss.
Do You Have X-ray Vision?
Has X-ray’s time finally come in electronics manufacturing? Join us in this issue of SMT007 Magazine, where we answer this question and others to bring more efficiency to your bottom line.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Media kit
||| MENU - smt007 Magazine
UK Space Agency Awards Space Reactor Development Project to BWXT and Rolls-Royce
April 8, 2024 | BUSINESS WIREEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
BWX Technologies, Inc. announced that it and Rolls-Royce have secured funding for Phase 2 of the UK Space Agency’s International Bilateral Fund (IBF). The funding enables strategic research collaborations within the UK space sector and emerging space nations to work together on fission nuclear systems for space power missions.
The new $1.5 million award from the fund supports collaboration between Rolls-Royce and BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC (BWXT) to advance the technologies that benefit both the UK and U.S. space nuclear development programs.
The contract further strengthens UK and U.S. collaboration on first-of-a-kind space technology innovation as detailed under the Atlantic Declaration commitment. In an announcement made by UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and U.S. President Joe Biden on June 8, 2023, both countries pledged to study “opportunities for co-operation on space nuclear power and propulsion.”
Joe Miller, president of BWXT Advanced Technologies, said, “BWXT and Rolls-Royce share a commitment to creating and delivering nuclear energy systems to explore space, support global security imperatives and generate clean energy. Today’s announcement, and our teaming agreement more broadly, allows our companies to use our complementary areas of expertise for this award and new opportunities to come.”
Abi Clayton, Director of Future Programmes for Rolls-Royce, said, “We are delighted to win the award for the second phase of the International Bilateral Fund and to be continuing our collaboration with the UK Space Agency and our international partner BWXT. This funding will help us move towards identifying the optimum balance of technologies for our microreactor solution that will offer a broad range of space mission flexibility.”
This business collaboration has been cemented in a teaming agreement between Rolls-Royce and BWXT. The teaming agreement facilitates business collaboration and joint developments of new and novel nuclear applications in terrestrial, space and commercial maritime domains that utilize the core nuclear design and manufacturing strengths of each party.
Steve Carlier, President for Rolls-Royce Submarines Ltd, said, “The teaming agreement between Rolls-Royce and BWXT brings together over 130 years of safe and secure nuclear delivery on both sides of the Atlantic. This new agreement builds on our complimentary core competencies and market knowledge from our respective countries. This enables us to build upon our existing relationship and explore potential strategic relationships and business arrangements to further develop nuclear technologies and products.”
Professor Anu Ojha, Director of Championing Space at the UK Space Agency, said, “Our International Bilateral Fund bolsters international collaboration that harnesses the UK’s national expertise, supports new space capabilities and catalyses investment. This exciting research by Rolls-Royce to develop space nuclear power is an opportunity to showcase the UK as a spacefaring nation. Innovative technologies such as this one could pave the way for continuous human presence on the Moon, whilst enhancing the wider UK space sector, creating jobs and generating further investment.”
Nuclear power, effectively utilized in space, has the capability of delivering a step change in mission capability across an extensive platform of applications. Space microreactors are a solution to meet these requirements in a sustainable and resilient way. All space missions depend on a power source to support systems for communications, life-support and science experiments. Nuclear power has the potential to dramatically increase the duration of future space missions and their scientific value.
Suggested Items
SES’s O3b mPOWER System Receives Platinum Space Sustainability Rating
06/03/2025 | BUSINESS WIREO3b mPOWER, SES’s second-generation medium earth orbit (MEO) system, has been awarded the Platinum badge by the Space Sustainability Rating (SSR) Association.
Elma Electronic Bolsters Quality Management Company-wide with Added AS9100:D and ISO9001:2015 Certifications
06/02/2025 | Elma ElectronicElma Electronic now includes AS9100:D and ISO 9001:2015 certifications at its Horsham, Pa. manufacturing facility, earning the company a multiple site accreditation designation.
Maxar Space Systems Selected to Build High-Power EchoStar XXVI Satellite Share
06/02/2025 | BUSINESS WIREMaxar Space Systems, a trusted partner in satellite design and manufacturing, today announced it has been awarded a contract by EchoStar Corporation to manufacture EchoStar XXVI, a high-power geostationary communications satellite based on the Maxar 1300™ platform.
ispace Completes Success 8 of Mission 2 Milestones
06/02/2025 | ispaceispace, inc. (ispace) (TOKYO: 9348), a global lunar exploration company, announced that the RESILIENCE lunar lander has successfully completed all orbital maneuvers while in lunar orbit and is now being prepared for its landing attempt on June 6, 2025.
Another Lockheed Martin-Built GPS III Satellite Lifts Off into Orbit
06/02/2025 | Lockheed MartinThe eighth GPS III space vehicle—designed and built by Lockheed Martin—successfully launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. It achieved signal acquisition shortly thereafter.