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NASA announced on October 20, 2026, during its Ignition event that the Space Reactor-1 Freedom will be humanity's first fission-powered spacecraft to travel beyond Earth's orbit, with development underway on the critical nuclear power module that will enable the spacecraft. The SR-1 Freedom mission will demonstrate nuclear electric propulsion in deep space, representing a significant advancement in spacecraft propulsion technology. The reactor technology will power future missions to Mars and beyond, providing sustained power for deep space exploration that is not dependent on solar panels or chemical propulsion. The project represents a major milestone in enabling advanced deep space exploration through nuclear propulsion technology.