Idaho site finalized for first campus-based nuclear microreactor with 1,652°F heat pipes

A new type of nuclear reactor will soon operate on an American university campus, replacing mechanical coolant pumps with sealed heat pipes. Idaho State University is preparing to commission the nation’s first university-hosted advanced microreactor, creating a live testing facility for next-generation nuclear technology. The machine is known as the Advanced Research and Test Reactor. It is being developed in partnership with NuCube Energy, an advanced nuclear technology company based in Idaho Falls. The project will sit at the university’s Business and Research Park, following ISU’s selection by the US Department of Energy under its Nuclear Reactor Innovation Center Launch Pad USA program. The core feature of NuCube’s reactor design is its heat-pipe cooling system. Most traditional nuclear reactors rely on mechanical pumps to circulate coolant through the core. By contrast, this microreactor uses heat pipes to passively carry thermal energy away from the fuel core and directly toward the power-conversion system. The reactor is built to run at extreme temperatures. Its architecture operates above 1,652°F (900°C), allowing it to supply both zero-carbon electricity and high-temperature heat. That level of heat is vital for heavy industrial processes that are difficult to decarbonize through ordinary power supplies. Technology validation for industry integration To prove the concept works safely under real-world operating conditions, NuCube recently partnered with Canadian Nuclear Laboratories on a dedicated research and development program. The two organizations are gathering experimental data and building computational models to predict how the heat pipes behave at temperatures over 900°C. NuCube says the findings will expand its validation database and help clear safety reviews for future commercial licensing. Because the system is factory-built and modular, it can be assembled before delivery. Hosting a working unit at ISU provides engineers and researchers with direct, physical access to evaluate the hardware during live runs. The university is already linking academic training with industry engineering. Sam Jeffries, an ISU graduate student with a decade of engineering experience, currently works as NuCube’s lab manager and test engineer, testing components while finishing his degree. Rare operational experience The university brings rare operational experience to the initiative. ISU has run its own research reactor on campus since 1965, making it one of only 24 universities in the United States with such a facility. It also offers the only undergraduate nuclear engineering degree in Idaho. On Wednesday, state officials and researchers met at the future construction site to mark the project’s formal launch. Idaho National Laboratory Deputy Director Todd Combs noted that while generations of students earned operator licenses on the 1965 reactor, hundreds more will train directly on this new microreactor to meet rising laboratory workforce needs. NuCube chief executive Cristian Rabiti described the venture as an effort to change how reactors are manufactured and deployed. Idaho Governor Brad Little told the gathering that Idaho is focused on building components, technology, and skilled workers for a wider nuclear renaissance. University President Robert Wagner concluded that the venture supports ISU’s long-term commitments under its Contract for Idaho as the institution marks its 125th anniversary. Get the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.An active and versatile journalist and news editor. He has covered regular and breaking news for several leading publications and news media, including The Hindu, Economic Times, Tomorrow Makers, and many more. Aman holds expertise in politics, travel, and tech news, especially in AI, advanced algorithms, and blockchain, with a strong curiosity about all things that fall under science and tech.