The key to Mars, Titan and beyond
- Martin Marietta Astronautics Group, Denver, CO (USA)
This paper discusses the use of nuclear rockets using indigenous Mars propellants for future missions to Mars and Titan, which would drastically reduce the mass and cost of the mission while increasing its capability. Special attention is given to the CO2-powered nuclear rocket using indigenous Martian fuel (NIMF) vehicle for hopping around on Mars. If water is available on Mars, it could make a NIMF propellant yielding an exhaust velocity of 3.4 km/sec, good enough to allow a piloted NIMF spacecraft to ascent from the surface of Mars and propel itself directly to LEO; if water is available on Phobos, a NIMF spacecraft could travel to earth orbit and then back to Phobos or Mars without any additional propellant from earth. One of the many exciting missions beyond Mars that will be made possible by NIMF technology is the exploration of Saturn's moon Titan. A small automated NIMF Titan explorer, with foldout wings and a NERVA (Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Applications) engine, is proposed.
- OSTI ID:
- 6672364
- Journal Information:
- Planetary Report; (USA), Journal Name: Planetary Report; (USA) Vol. 10; ISSN 0736-3680; ISSN PLREE
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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220800* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Propulsion Reactors
ALKANES
ATMOSPHERES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
ENGINES
EXPLORATION
FUELS
HYDROCARBONS
MARS PLANET
METHANE
MOBILE REACTORS
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANETARY ATMOSPHERES
PLANETS
POWER REACTORS
PROPELLANTS
PROPULSION REACTORS
PROPULSION SYSTEMS
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ROCKET ENGINES
SPACE
SPACE POWER REACTORS
SPACE PROPULSION REACTORS
SPACE VEHICLES
VEHICLES