DETERMINATION OF NUCLEAR-ROCKET POWER LEVELS FOR UNMANNED MARS VEHICLES STARTING FROM ORBIT ABOUT EARTH

Technical Report · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1962

OSTI ID:4811801

Cavicchi, R H; Miser, J W

Nuclear-powered earth-orbital-launch probes can place greater payloads in orbit about Mars than chemical vehicles if reactor power exceeds 50 Mw. Sultable reactor powers for this mission are about 150, 400, and 1000 Mw for 33,000-, 81,000-, and 200,000-lb vehicles, respectively. Whereas a 33,000-lb vehicle requires greater than a 200day coast, a 145-day coast is feasible for an 81,000-lb vehicle. A hydrogen temperature of 4000 deg F in the nozzle appears to be a good compronaise. Use of a solid-propellant rocket to achieve an orbit about Mars from coast yields no payload advantage. Using optimum firing dates, a 33,000-lb vehicle could orbit an acceptable payload about Mars, and an 81,000-lb vehicle could and freight on Mars. (auth)

• Research Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Lewis Research Center, Cleveland
• NSA Number: NSA-16-009712
• OSTI ID: 4811801
• Report Number(s): NASA-TN-D-474
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

GAS COOLANT
HIGH TEMPERATURE
HYDROGEN
JETS
MARS PLANET
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
NOZZLES
ORBITS
PAYLOAD
PLANETS
POWER
POWER PLANTS
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
ROCKETS
SOLIDS
SPACE APPLICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY
SPACE FLIGHT
SPACE VEHICLES
WEIGHT