Nuclear rocket engines are not a novelty. In 1960, the U.S. and the Soviet Union developed and tested thermal nuclear missiles. Now, in the framework of the expanded programme Exploration Systems NASA plans to demonstrate the viability and evaluate materials thermal systems of nuclear power plants for use in future deep space missions.

Thermal nuclear rocket engine uses a nuclear reactor to heat the hydrogen to very high temperatures, then superheated hydrogen and expanding under pressure is expelled through a nozzle to produce thrust. Thus, the efficiency of the thermal nuclear engine is limited to high durability of solid materials. Unlike solar or nuclear ions or plasma engines, thermal nuclear engine largely performs the same work as that of chemical boosters, but spends it is about two times less fuel.

Quantum supplies liquid hydrogen into the engine under great pressure. Most of the flow of hydrogen is fed into the upper part of the housing, but part of it goes to the heat exchanger on the walls of the rocket nozzle, thereby cooling nozzle.

Hydrogen is fed into the reactor core, which has a matrix of longitudinal channels, in which hydrogen is heated to temperatures above S. After heating of hydrogen in the reactor, he is expelled through a nozzle, reaching speeds of 10 km/s and more.