Use of Nuclear Electric Power and Propulsion for a Neptune Mission

Details Use of Nuclear Electric Power and Propulsion for a Neptune Mission Use of Nuclear Electric Power and Propulsion for a Neptune Mission

Dec 2005

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2005agufm.p41a0929b&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2005, abstract #P41A-0929

Other

5210 Planetary Atmospheres, Clouds, And Hazes (0343), 5704 Atmospheres (0343, 1060), 5794 Instruments And Techniques, 6250 Moon (1221), 6255 Neptune

Scientific paper

Over one year ago, our response to a NASA Research Announcement (NRA) for Space Science Vision Missions resulted in the award of a NASA Vision Mission contract to study a Neptune Orbiter with Probes mission using nuclear electric propulsion (NEP). Our national team of engineers and scientists from aerospace, academia, NASA centers and the Southwest Research Institute has developed a mission concept that satisfies the goals of our scientists. Our poster describes the science and highlights the numerous engineering challenges that must be resolved in order to accomplish our ambitious mission. The giant planets of the outer solar system divide into two distinct classes: the gas giants Jupiter and Saturn, primarily comprising hydrogen and helium; and the ice giants Uranus and Neptune that are believed to contain significant amounts of the heavier elements including oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, and sulfur. Detailed comparisons of the internal structures and compositions of the gas giants with those of the ice giants will yield valuable insights into the processes that formed the solar system and, by extension, extrasolar systems. Recognizing the tremendous spacecraft resources made available by nuclear electric power, our science team specified that Neptune's fascinating moon, Triton, be included as another target for in situ science. Although our overall plan is a Neptune Orbiter with Probes mission utilizing nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) to study Triton, Nereid, the other icy satellites of Neptune, Neptune's system of rings, and the deep Neptune atmosphere to a depth of 100 bars, the science goals and objectives pertain to any detailed study of the Neptune system. For our mission, power and propulsion would be provided using nuclear electric technologies. Such a grand mission requires that a number of technical issues be investigated and resolved, including: (1) developing a realizable mission design that allows proper targeting and timing of the entry probes while offering adequate opportunities for detailed measurements of Triton, the other icy satellites, and ring science; (2) giant-planet atmospheric Probe thermal protection system (TPS) design; (3) probe mechanical design including seals, windows, penetrations and inlets, and pressure vessel; (4) probe telecommunications through the dense and absorbing Neptunian atmosphere; (5) designing Triton Landers to conduct an extended surface science mission: and (6) within NEP mass and power constraints, defining an appropriate suite of science instruments for the Orbiter, Probes, and Landers to explore the depths of the Neptune atmosphere, magnetic field, Triton, and the icy satellites. Another driving factor in the design of the Orbiter, Probes, and Landers is the need to maintain a fully operational flight system during the lengthy transit time from launch through Neptune encounter, and beyond.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Use of Nuclear Electric Power and Propulsion for a Neptune Mission does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Use of Nuclear Electric Power and Propulsion for a Neptune Mission, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Use of Nuclear Electric Power and Propulsion for a Neptune Mission will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-749963