First mission to bring back samples from the moon since 1976 started successfully

[SvennoJ]

Mnementh said:

SvennoJ said:

You need a lot less nuclear fuel to go the distance, thus you take a lot less weight.

From google:
One uranium fuel pellet (about 10 grams) creates as much energy as one ton of coal, 149 gallons of oil or 17,000 cubic feet of natural gas.

You can be under full thrust until the halfway point and reverse

You need some propellant. That you will lose in the effect. That is some advantage of chemical fuels: the exhaust gases are used as propellant. For nuclear rockets you need to take some gas with you, which will be heated to expand and propel the rocket.

It all depends on the velocity of the exhaust. Ideally you shoot out particles at near relativistic velocities and collect them on the way (Bussard ramjet)

Nuclear gas rockets are more efficient than liquid hydrogen plus liquid oxygen anyway. I imagine fuel / propellant for the way back will be send ahead to refuel at Mars.