BOHR

BOHR [City Labs]

BOHR (Betavoltaic Orbital High-Reliability) is an 1U CubeSat technology demonstration mission developed by City Labs of the United States. It is the first commercial satellite to demonstrate a nuclear-powered payload using a betavoltaic power source in orbit. The mission also represents the first commercial nuclear CubeSat and the first commercial spacecraft to fly under the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration's nuclear payload authorization process.

The primary objective of BOHR is to validate City Labs' proprietary NanoTritium betavoltaic technology as a dedicated electrical power source for spacecraft payloads. Unlike solar arrays or batteries, the tritium-based system provides continuous electrical power independent of sunlight, making it suitable for missions in permanently shadowed lunar craters, deep-space environments, and long-duration autonomous sensor platforms. The CubeSat itself is powered by conventional solar arrays, while the NanoTritium system supplies power exclusively to the demonstration payload.

The mission is intended to demonstrate the reliability and safety of compact commercial nuclear power systems for spaceflight. The tritium betavoltaic device operates at very low radiation levels and is designed for safe handling, transportation, launch integration, and long-duration operation. Successful validation could enable future spacecraft requiring persistent electrical power where solar energy is unavailable or impractical.

BOHR also establishes an important regulatory precedent. The spacecraft became the first commercial nuclear mission to complete the FAA payload authorization process. The launch safety analysis was prepared by City Labs with technical support from Sandia National Laboratories.