Editing Nuclear thermal rocket (section)

=== Italy ===
In 2000, [[Carlo Rubbia]] at [[CERN]] further extended the work by Ronen<ref name="Ronen1988"/> and [[George Chapline Jr.|Chapline]]<ref name=Chapline1988/> on a [[Fission-fragment rocket]] using <sup>242m</sup>Am as a fuel.<ref name=Rubbia2000>Rubbia, Carlo. "Fission fragments heating for space propulsion" No. SL-Note-2000-036-EET. CERN-SL-Note-2000-036-EET, 2000</ref> Project 242<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Augelli |first1=M |last2=Bignami |first2=G F |last3=Genta |first3=G |title=Project 242: Fission fragments direct heating for space propulsion—Programme synthesis and applications to space exploration |journal=Acta Astronautica |date=February 2013 |volume=82 |issue=2 |pages=153–158 |doi=10.1016/j.actaastro.2012.04.007|bibcode=2013AcAau..82..153A }}</ref> based on Rubbia design studied a concept of <sup>242m</sup>Am based Thin-Film Fission Fragment Heated NTR<ref>{{cite report |last1=Davis |first1=Eric W |title=Advanced Propulsion Study |id={{DTIC|ADA426465}} |publisher=Warp Drive Metrics |date=2004 }}</ref> by using a direct conversion of the kinetic energy of fission fragments into increasing of enthalpy of a propellant gas. Project 242 studied the application of this propulsion system to a crewed mission to Mars.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Cesana |first1=Alessandra|display-authors=etal |title=Some Considerations on 242 m Am Production in Thermal Reactors |journal=Nuclear Technology |date=October 2004 |volume=148 |issue=1 |pages=97–101 |doi=10.13182/NT04-A3550 |bibcode=2004NucTe.148...97C }}</ref> Preliminary results were very satisfactory, and it has been observed that a propulsion system with these characteristics could make the mission feasible. Another study focused on the production of <sup>242m</sup>Am in conventional thermal nuclear reactors.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Benetti |first1=P. |display-authors=etal|title=Production of 242mAm |journal=Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment |date=August 2006 |volume=564 |issue=1 |pages=482–485 |doi=10.1016/j.nima.2006.04.029}}</ref>