K-Rankine systems for piloted and cargo Mars missions

Conference · Sun Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:7295884

Mills, J C; Rovang, R D; Johnson, G A ^[1]

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1. Rockwell International Corp., Rocketdyne Div., Canoga Park, CA (United States)

Studies are performed to demonstrate the attractiveness of potassium-Rankine (K-Rankine) nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) systems for both piloted and cargo Mars missions. The key results of the piloted mission study are that a full-up piloted mission can be accomplished with a trip time of less than 390 days with an attractive initial mass in low earth orbit (IMLEO) of 700 metric tons. This is achieved by coupling two advanced cermet fuel reactors (1550 K outlet temperature) to K-Rankine power-conversion systems to produce the 46 MWe needed to power advanced ion engines. This design approach offers an alternative to a more risky split-sprint mission where comparable trip times and IMLEO can be achieved with a nearer-term reactor (SP-100 at 1350 K outlet temperature) technology. The results of the cargo-mission study indicate that a lower-power K-Rankine system (5.5 MWe) operating at SP-100 reactor conditions would best perform a representative Mars cargo transport. A round-trip mission (480 days outbound; 600 day return) to Mars requires only 225 metric tons IMLEO and permit possible system reuse. 6 refs.

• OSTI ID: 7295884
• Report Number(s): AIAA-Paper--92-1549; CONF-920373--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210600* -- Power Reactors
Auxiliary
Mobile Package
& Transportable
DESIGN
ELECTRIC POWER
ION PROPULSION
MARS PLANET
MOBILE REACTORS
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
PLANETS
POWER
POWER REACTORS
PROPULSION
PROPULSION REACTORS
RANKINE CYCLE
REACTORS
SPACE POWER REACTORS
SPACE PROPULSION REACTORS
THERMODYNAMIC CYCLES