Miami-based City Labs has achieved a significant milestone in space technology with the launch of its BOHR satellite, which the company bills as the world’s first commercial nuclear-powered satellite and the first nuclear CubeSat. The satellite, named Betavoltaic Orbital High-Reliability (BOHR), was sent into orbit between 350 and 400 miles in altitude aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Tuesday, as part of a rideshare mission carrying over 80 other payloads.
Starting Small in Space Power
While not a full-scale nuclear reactor, the BOHR mission represents a foundational step toward potentially powering future lunar bases and enabling efficient deep-space rocket propulsion. City Labs specializes in nuclear micro-power technology, and BOHR is built on a 1U CubeSat platform, a compact design roughly the size of a softball. Its primary power source is a nuclear betavoltaic battery, which generates electricity through the decay of tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen.
“This is a historic step for commercial nuclear power in space,” said Peter Cabauy, CEO of City Labs, in a statement. “BOHR demonstrates that safe, compact, and regulatory-approved nuclear power systems are ready for routine commercial deployment. This capability enables persistent, always-on payload operations that are not constrained by sunlight or battery life.”
Betavoltaic Technology Applications
The BOHR CubeSat will use its experimental NanoTritium power generator in demonstration mode to provide electricity to an onboard payload. The spacecraft itself will continue to rely on conventional solar power for its general operations. Betavoltaic batteries are particularly well-suited for low-power applications that demand a consistent and long-lasting source of electricity, such as remote terrestrial sensors in challenging environments like undersea or polar regions, and instrumentation for secure communications.
City Labs is also exploring the potential of its NanoTritium technology for other applications, including powering implantable medical devices. The launch of BOHR signifies a move toward making nuclear power a more accessible and deployable option for commercial space ventures.
Norman Pearlstine is the Chief Editor of News Raise and focuses on Business news. His responsibility is to oversee the editorial content including business, commodities, personal investments and the stock market.
