NEP Early Flight program: System performance and development considerations

Details NEP Early Flight program: System performance and development considerations NEP Early Flight program: System performance and development considerations

Dec 1993

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1993iep..conf...13d&link_type=abstract

Presented at the 23rd International Electric Propulsion Conference, Seattle, WA, 13-16 Sep. 1993; sponsored by AIAA, DGLR, AIDAA

Computer Science

Robotics

Nuclear Electric Propulsion, Robotics, Space Missions, Spacecraft Propulsion, Technology Assessment, Cost Estimates, Electric Propulsion, Mission Planning, Space Exploration, Systems Engineering

Scientific paper

A mission/system study of Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP) for early robotic planetary science mission applications has been conducted. Subject missions considered included a Mars orbiter with a Phobos and Deimos Rendezvous; a Comet Kopff Rendezvous; a Multiple Mainbelt Asteroid Rendezvous (MMBAR); an Asteroid (Vesta) Sample Return; a Trojan Asteroid (Odysseus) Rendezvous; and a Jupiter mini Grand Tour. The purpose of the study was to determine if 'near-term' NEP technology could be used on an early NEP flight to demonstrate the technologies while conducting a useful science mission. The analysis shows that, depending upon technology readiness date, the missions could be performed with low power NEP. The technology and system development costs associated with vehicle/stage development for a candidate mission are presented. The study assumed relatively mature space electric power and space electric propulsion technologies (more advanced technologies have been already shown by others to be enabling for many outer planetary missions). Thus, a very important first step in using NEP would be taken, which would contribute valuable solar system science, as well as reduce the risks associated with using NEP for more demanding outer planetary science mission applications.

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