The PEGASUS Drive: A nuclear electric propulsion system for the space exploration initiative

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1991 · AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (USA)

OSTI ID:5759047

Coomes, E P; Dagle, J E ^[1]

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1. Pacific Northwest Laboratory P.O. Box 999 M/S K5-21 Richland, WA 99352 (US)

The advantages of using electric propulsion for propulsion are well-known in the aerospace community. The high specific impulse, lower propellant requirements, and lower system mass make it a very attractive propulsion option for the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI), especially for the transport of cargo. One such propulsion system is the PEGASUS Drive (Coomes {ital et} {ital al}. 1987). In its original configuration, the PEGASUS Drive consisted of a 10-MWe power source coupled to a 6-MW magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster system. The PEGASUS Drive propelled a manned vechicle to Mars and back in 601 days. By removing the crew and their associated support systems from the space craft and by incorporating technology advances in reactor design and heat rejection systems, a second generation PEGASUS Drive can be developed with an alpha less than two. Utilizing this propulsion system, a 400-MT cargo vechicle, assembled and loaded in low Earth orbit (LEO), could deliver 262 MT of supplies and hardware to MARS 282 days after escaping Earth orbit. Upon arrival at Mars the transport vehicle would place its cargo in the desired parking orbit around Mars and then proceed to synchronous orbit above the desired landing sight. Using a laser transmitter, PEGASUS could provide 2-MW on the surface to operate automated systems deployed earlier and then provide surface power to support crew activities after their arrival. The additional supplies and hardware, coupled with the availability of megawatt levels of electric power on the Mars surface, would greatly enhance and even expand the mission options being considered under SEI.

• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 5759047
• Report Number(s): CONF-910116--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (USA) Journal Volume: 217:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
220800 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Propulsion Reactors
640107* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Planetary Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COOLING SYSTEMS
DESIGN
ELECTRIC POWER
ENERGY SYSTEMS
MARS SPACE PROBES
POWER
POWER GENERATION
PROPULSION SYSTEMS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR COOLING SYSTEMS
SPACE VEHICLES
THRUSTERS
VEHICLES