Pulsar Fusion Plans Nuclear Rocket Tests to Halve Mars Travel Time

Several companies are developing advanced nuclear propulsion technologies aimed at drastically reducing travel time to Mars. Pulsar Fusion, a U.K.-based startup, unveiled the Sunbird Migratory Transfer Vehicle, a nuclear fusion rocket powered by dual direct fusion drive engines capable of reaching speeds up to 329,000 miles per hour, potentially halving transit times to Mars. The Sunbird concept involves reusable rockets launched from orbital docking stations, designed to ferry spacecraft across the solar system, with in-orbit testing planned by 2027. Separately, SpaceNukes is advancing nuclear electric propulsion systems that could cut human round-trip Mars transit from over a year to just a few months, targeting high-power reactors to enable this breakthrough. In addition, research shows that SpaceX Starship missions might reduce Mars transit times to around 90 days using optimized trajectories and orbital refueling, within radiation safety limits. Together, these developments highlight a multi-faceted effort to shorten Mars travel times through innovative nuclear propulsion and mission architectures.