Nuclear Power on the Move: Smaller Reactors and Cleaner Energy

Researchers are developing smaller nuclear reactors, fuel, coolant, and materials that could make fission a zero-carbon energy technology of choice.^{[195684][195692]} Scientists plan to use radioactive isotopes to power systems on a future Mars rover, marking a potential step towards space exploration with cleaner energy.^{[195682][195693]} Portable nuclear fission facilities that fit in a truck could provide power where needed, but concerns over cost, safety, and bomb-making risks remain.^{[195683][195691]} Despite technical hurdles, researchers believe that new approaches to nuclear power could transform it into a more nimble source of always-on, carbon-free power.^{[195692][195693]}