Revolutionary! New Startup From Leicester To Apply Nuclear Technology To Space

Space Park Leicester is launching a new start-up, Perpetual Atomics, which focuses on space nuclear power systems, space science, and research. The technology behind the new venture is designed to enable longer and more ambitious missions beyond Earth orbit.

Meet The New UK Space Start-up

The company is scheduled to be unveiled on 15 October on the UK Space Agency‘s stand at this year’s 75th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Milan.

Perpetual Atomics is a company that aims to provide innovative solutions to energy challenges in space missions, delivering resilience and reliability in the harshest environments known to mankind.

The start-up team is tasked with commercialising the know-how and expertise in space nuclear power developed over more than 20 years at the University of Leicester.

Building on years of research and development by the Space Nuclear Power group at the University of Leicester, the team has ambitions to become a new world leader in the market for mature radioisotope energy solutions.

What’s Behind The Technology

The principle behind the operation of such power systems is to utilise the heat generated by the decay of radioisotopes. These systems can provide heat for spacecraft or be converted into electricity to power critical subsystems.

Their radioisotope heating units (RHUs) and radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) (also sometimes called’ space batteries’) use americium fuel, which can provide stable power for spacecraft for many decades.

Toward Sustainable Space Exploration

The project team, residents of Leicester Space Park, is now the leading developer of radioisotope thermoelectric generators in Europe.

As Julie Black, Director of Missions and Capabilities at the UK Space Agency, said, ‘The advanced technologies being developed by the Perpetual Atomics team could not only utilise nuclear power to sustain space exploration for longer periods but also allow us to go further into space than ever before, enabling greater scientific research and bringing more benefits to Earth.’

According to the startup’s website, its solutions are designed to support scientific, research, and commercial missions in near-lunar, lunar, Martian, and deep space and will be available from 2027 onwards.

Who Is Funding The Project?

Reef Global, the Impact Investments division within Reef Origin, has invested in Perpetual Atomics.

In addition, the UK Space Agency actively supports and funds the University of Leicester’s research into innovative space technologies.As for developing radioisotope energy technologies, this area was funded by the European Space Agency‘s (ESA) European Radioisotope Energy Devices (ENDURE) programme.