Nasa is developing small nuclear fission reactors that could overcome one of the last technical barriers to life on Mars.
Energy generation has become the primary goal of space scientists after they established there is water on the red planet.
Testing of the 6.5 ft tall reactors, developed as part of a ‘Kilopower’ project over the past three years, is due to start in September.
If the units pass design and performance pass tests, Nasa would then test them on Mars.
The US department of Energy and Nasa’s Glenn Research Center are two key partners in the £11m project.
About 40 kilowatts of power are required for a human expedition to Mars, equivalent to what is needed for “about eight hours on Earth”, according to a 2008 report by Nasa.
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