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Title: Nuclear thermal propulsion engine cost trade studies

Abstract

The NASA transportation strategy for the Mars Exploration architecture includes the use of nuclear thermal propulsion as the primary propulsion system for Mars transits. It is anticipated that the outgrowth of the NERVA/ROVER programs will be a nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) system capable of providing the propulsion for missions to Mars. The specific impulse (Isp) for such a system is expected to be in the 870 s range. Trade studies were conducted to investigate whether or not it may be cost effective to invest in a higher performance (Isp[gt]870 s) engine for nuclear thermal propulsion for missions to Mars. The basic cost trades revolved around the amount of mass that must be transported to low-earth orbit prior to each Mars flight and the cost to launch that mass. The mass required depended on the assumptions made for Mars missions scenarios including piloted/cargo flights, number of Mars missions, and transit time to Mars. Cost parameters included launch cost, program schedule for development and operations, and net discount rate. The results were very dependent on the assumptions that were made. Under some assumptions, higher performance engines showed cost savings in the billions of dollars; under other assumptions, the additional cost to developmore » higher performance engines was not justified.« less

Authors:
 [1]
  1. Rocketdyne Division, Rockwell International Corporation, Mail Stop IB57, 6633 Canoga Avenue, P.O. Box 7922, Canoga Park, California 91309-7922 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
5661247
Report Number(s):
CONF-930103-
Journal ID: ISSN 0094-243X; CODEN: APCPCS
Resource Type:
Conference
Journal Name:
AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 271:1; Conference: 10. symposium on space nuclear power and propulsion, Albuquerque, NM (United States), 10-14 Jan 1993; Journal ID: ISSN 0094-243X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; MARS SPACE PROBES; SPACE PROPULSION REACTORS; COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS; COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS; MARS PLANET; NERVA REACTOR; ROVER REACTORS; ECONOMIC ANALYSIS; ECONOMICS; EVALUATION; EXPERIMENTAL REACTORS; GAS COOLED REACTORS; HYDROGEN COOLED REACTORS; MOBILE REACTORS; PLANETS; POWER REACTORS; PROPULSION REACTORS; REACTORS; RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS; SPACE POWER REACTORS; SPACE VEHICLES; VEHICLES; NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems; 210600* - Power Reactors, Auxiliary, Mobile Package, & Transportable; 210800 - Nuclear Power Plants- Economics

Citation Formats

Paschall, R K. Nuclear thermal propulsion engine cost trade studies. United States: N. p., 1993. Web. doi:10.1063/1.43223.
Paschall, R K. Nuclear thermal propulsion engine cost trade studies. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.43223
Paschall, R K. 1993. "Nuclear thermal propulsion engine cost trade studies". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.43223.
@article{osti_5661247,
title = {Nuclear thermal propulsion engine cost trade studies},
author = {Paschall, R K},
abstractNote = {The NASA transportation strategy for the Mars Exploration architecture includes the use of nuclear thermal propulsion as the primary propulsion system for Mars transits. It is anticipated that the outgrowth of the NERVA/ROVER programs will be a nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) system capable of providing the propulsion for missions to Mars. The specific impulse (Isp) for such a system is expected to be in the 870 s range. Trade studies were conducted to investigate whether or not it may be cost effective to invest in a higher performance (Isp[gt]870 s) engine for nuclear thermal propulsion for missions to Mars. The basic cost trades revolved around the amount of mass that must be transported to low-earth orbit prior to each Mars flight and the cost to launch that mass. The mass required depended on the assumptions made for Mars missions scenarios including piloted/cargo flights, number of Mars missions, and transit time to Mars. Cost parameters included launch cost, program schedule for development and operations, and net discount rate. The results were very dependent on the assumptions that were made. Under some assumptions, higher performance engines showed cost savings in the billions of dollars; under other assumptions, the additional cost to develop higher performance engines was not justified.},
doi = {10.1063/1.43223},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5661247}, journal = {AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States)},
issn = {0094-243X},
number = ,
volume = 271:1,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jan 10 00:00:00 EST 1993},
month = {Sun Jan 10 00:00:00 EST 1993}
}

Conference:
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