Nuclear thermal propulsion transportation systems for lunar/Mars exploration

Details Nuclear thermal propulsion transportation systems for lunar/Mars exploration Nuclear thermal propulsion transportation systems for lunar/Mars exploration

Sep 1992

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1992stin...9312363c&link_type=abstract

Presented at the Nuclear Power Engineering in Space Nuclear Rocket Engines Conference, Kazakhstan, Russia, 22-26 Sep. 1992; spon

Computer Science

Performance

Lunar Exploration, Mars (Planet), Nuclear Engine For Rocket Vehicles, Nuclear Propulsion, Nuclear Rocket Engines, Propulsion System Configurations, Propulsion System Performance, Space Exploration, Space Transportation System, Spacecraft Propulsion, Cost Reduction, Life Cycle Costs, Performance Tests, Proving

Scientific paper

Nuclear thermal propulsion technology development is underway at NASA and DoE for Space Exploration Initiative (SEI) missions to Mars, with initial near-earth flights to validate flight readiness. Several reactor concepts are being considered for these missions, and important selection criteria will be evaluated before final selection of a system. These criteria include: safety and reliability, technical risk, cost, and performance, in that order. Of the concepts evaluated to date, the Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Applications (NERVA) derivative (NDR) is the only concept that has demonstrated full power, life, and performance in actual reactor tests. Other concepts will require significant design work and must demonstrate proof-of-concept. Technical risk, and hence, development cost should therefore be lowest for the concept, and the NDR concept is currently being considered for the initial SEI missions. As lighter weight, higher performance systems are developed and validated, including appropriate safety and astronaut-rating requirements, they will be considered to support future SEI application. A space transportation system using a modular nuclear thermal rocket (NTR) system for lunar and Mars missions is expected to result in significant life cycle cost savings. Finally, several key issues remain for NTR's, including public acceptance and operational issues. Nonetheless, NTR's are believed to be the 'next generation' of space propulsion systems - the key to space exploration.

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