NASA announced that its Skyfall mission will launch in 2028 to send a fleet of small helicopters to Mars for scouting and mapping potential human landing sites.

The mission will use nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) aboard the spacecraft Space Reactor-1 (SR-1) Freedom, marking the first nuclear-powered interplanetary spacecraft.

The Skyfall helicopters, modeled on Ingenuity, will carry cameras and ground-penetrating radar to study terrain, slopes, hazards, and subsurface water ice for future human exploration.

NEP technology generates electricity from a fission reactor to power highly efficient electric thrusters, allowing continuous operation far from the Sun, Space.com has reported.

After deploying the helicopters, NASA may extend SR-1 Freedom’s journey to explore other destinations in the solar system.