How can nuclear propulsion foster international cooperation and competition in space?

Nuclear power has many unique applications in space exploration and propulsion, notably demonstrated with Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) used in deep-space missions, for which more nuclear fuel should be reserved as we push into the outer solar system. While missions on Titan, Triton or even Pluto may rely on it for power, nuclear fuel could also accelerate spacecraft travel over vast distances at greater speeds. It could be best suited for an interstellar mission, considering that for every moment of thrust in acceleration, it will require an equal moment of deceleration, which necessitates shooting nuclear particles towards the potential destination.

The drawbacks of nuclear propulsion are minimal outside of Earth's immediate orbit. Besides potential risk to any spacecraft crew on board, there's enough solar radiation to worry about besides the minimal impact a nuclear accident could have in space. One considerable drawback is that the fuel for nuclear propulsion is finite and non-renewable, compared to fuels produced through Hydrolysis or Hydrogenation, as with LOX/Methane rockets. A nuclear spacecraft industry would compete with terrestrial uses of nuclear fuel, despite being a far more efficient use of it. If, as a result of nuclear propulsion, the space industry surveys and mines resources on asteroids such as Uraninite and Thorianite, then that solves the problem entirely.

Nuclear propulsion could drive international partnerships in in-space refuelling, where nations work together to create orbital refuelling stations for nuclear-powered spacecraft. I’ve worked on satellite missions where we explored the feasibility of in-orbit refuelling for conventional propulsion systems. This required intense collaboration across borders to align refuelling technology & protocols. For nuclear propulsion, similar joint ventures could arise, with nations developing shared infrastructure for refuelling in orbit. While this fosters cooperation on logistics & resource sharing, nations would still compete on efficiency—optimising refuelling technologies & techniques to reduce mission costs & improve performance.