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Nuclear fusion powered Titan aircraft

Journal Article · · Acta Astronautica
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [1];  [1];  [4];  [5]
  1. Princeton Satellite Systems, Plainsboro, NJ (United States)
  2. Princeton Satellite Systems, Plainsboro, NJ (United States); Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH (United States)
  3. Princeton Satellite Systems, Plainsboro, NJ (United States); Princeton Univ., NJ (United States)
  4. Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
  5. Princeton Satellite Systems, Plainsboro, NJ (United States); Stanford Univ., CA (United States)
+ Show Author Affiliations
This paper discusses a system for Titan exploration enabled by nuclear fusion power. Titan is one of the most interesting locations in the solar system with a thick atmosphere, surface oceans, under-ice oceans and complex terrain. This paper provides a conceptual design of a fusion-powered system to explore many parts of Titan and enable the use of high-power instruments. The design includes a fusion-powered orbital transfer vehicle and an electric Titan science aircraft. A Direct Fusion Drive (DFD) propulsive engine could bring a sizable spacecraft to Titan orbit in less than two years. A second fusion reactor, configured as a closed-loop power generator, would be used for an electric Titan science aircraft. Both reactors are based on the Princeton Field-Reversed Configuration (PFRC) concept which combines an FRC with a magnetic mirror. PFRC uses a novel radio-frequency plasma heating system and deuterium-helium-3 fuel. A lower temperature plasma flows around the closed-field FRC region removing the fusion products. In the DFD propulsive configuration, this secondary flow permits direct and variable thrust and exhaust velocity. The science aircraft would do a powered entry to Titan and then have the capability to fly anywhere on the moon at subsonic speeds. The DFD-powered transfer vehicle would allow the in-orbit transfer stage to change inclination as needed to cover different areas of the surface.
Research Organization:
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); USDOE Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E)
Grant/Contract Number:
AR0001099; AR0001372
OSTI ID:
1986328
Journal Information:
Acta Astronautica, Journal Name: Acta Astronautica Vol. 210; ISSN 0094-5765
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (13)

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conference January 2011
Variational formulation for a multifluid flowing plasma with application to the internal tilt mode of a field-reversed configuration journal January 1988
Maintaining the closed magnetic-field-line topology of a field-reversed configuration with the addition of static transverse magnetic fields journal June 2000
An analytical approach to evaluating magnetic-field closure and topological changes in FRC devices journal July 2022
A diagnostic to measure neutral-atom density in fusion-research plasmas journal September 2022
Formation of Collisionless High- β Plasmas by Odd-Parity Rotating Magnetic Fields journal April 2007
Effects of Duct Cross Section Camber and Thickness on the Performance of Ducted Propulsion Systems for Aeronautical Applications journal January 2016
Nuclear and Future Flight Propulsion - Modeling the Thrust of the Direct Fusion Drive conference July 2018
Analysis and Mitigation of Pulse-Pile-Up Artifacts in Plasma Pulse-Height X-ray Spectra journal February 2023
Science Goals and Objectives for the Dragonfly Titan Rotorcraft Relocatable Lander journal July 2021
Plasma environment of Titan: a 3-D hybrid simulation study journal May 2006

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Related Subjects

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
Mars
Titan
aircraft
fusion propulsion
nuclear propulsion
space power