Current Status and Prospects of High-Power Space Nuclear Reactor Power Sources

High-power space nuclear reactor power sources have advantages such as minimal environmental impact, a wide power coverage range, and good sustainability. They represent a preferred energy supply route for future high-power, long-duration space missions and deep space exploration tasks. This article summarizes and compares typical projects and research progress of space nuclear reactor power sources both domestically and internationally, focusing on three aspects: reactor type selection, energy conversion methods, and working fluid in the system cycle. It elaborates on the current technical challenges and key issues faced by high-power space nuclear reactor power sources. This article provides essential references for research on high-power space nuclear reactor power sources in China.