NASA Begins Building Dragonfly Drone; Nuclear-Powered ‘Octocopter’ Enters Testing Ahead of 2028 Launch

Mar 15, 2026 - 16:00
NASA Begins Building Dragonfly Drone; Nuclear-Powered ‘Octocopter’ Enters Testing Ahead of 2028 Launch
NASA has begun construction of the Dragonfly mission, which will utilise a nuclear-powered rotorcraft lander to investigate Saturn's largest moon, Titan. The car-sized drone is scheduled to launch in 2028 and will conduct a comprehensive surface survey using its Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG). The spacecraft will complete a six-year cruise, arriving at Titan in 2034 to perform detailed exploration activities across the moon's surface.