Japan's Defense Minister confirmed the country is considering acquiring nuclear-powered submarines, marking a significant shift from its historically conventional fleet. This potential move reflects Tokyo's need for greater operational range across the Western Pacific amid China's expanding naval presence and growing regional submarine competition from South Korea and Australia.
In March 2026, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced SR-1 Freedom, a $2.1 billion nuclear electric rocket mission to Mars launching in late 2028 with three miniature helicopters. The spacecraft uses a nuclear reactor connected to ion engines for propulsion, taking about a year to reach Mars with minimal thrust equivalent to a stick of butter's weight.