NASA confirmed this week that Director Jared Isaacman has an ambitious plan to build a nuclear-powered spacecraft and go to Mars. The total cost of the project will exceed 2 billion US dollars. When the latest cost estimates for this mission, called “Space Reactor 1 Liberty,” were released, NASA was simultaneously advancing a number of major flagship projects, including manned return to the moon and the construction of a lunar outpost, and the overall budget is expected to remain unchanged. NASA said in a statement: “The initial estimated total cost of the project is about 2.1 billion US dollars. In the future, this value will be revised through continuous refinement of the procurement process.” According to a document submitted to Congress, NASA plans to invest in the project by year: US$640 million in fiscal year 2026, US$890 million in fiscal year 2027, US$415 million in fiscal year 2028, and US$180 million in fiscal year 2029. Funding will be taken from the bureau's special account for deep space exploration, as well as special funding approved through the Party Reconciliation Act last year.

NASA confirmed this week that Director Jared Isaacman has an ambitious plan to build a nuclear-powered spacecraft and go to Mars. The total cost of the project will exceed 2 billion US dollars. When the latest cost estimates for this mission, called “Space Reactor 1 Liberty,” were released, NASA was simultaneously advancing a number of major flagship projects, including manned return to the moon and the construction of a lunar outpost, and the overall budget is expected to remain unchanged. NASA said in a statement: “The initial estimated total cost of the project is about 2.1 billion US dollars. In the future, this value will be revised through continuous refinement of the procurement process.” According to a document submitted to Congress, NASA plans to invest in the project by year: US$640 million in fiscal year 2026, US$890 million in fiscal year 2027, US$415 million in fiscal year 2028, and US$180 million in fiscal year 2029. Funding will be taken from the bureau's special account for deep space exploration, as well as special funding approved through the Party Reconciliation Act last year.