Estimates of power requirements for a manned Mars rover powered by a nuclear reactor
- Institute for Space Nuclear Power Studies, Department of Chemical and Nuclear Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131 (US) Cataldo, R. Bloomfield, H.
This paper assesses the power requirement for a Manned Mars Rover vehicle. Auxiliary power needs are fulfilled using a hybrid solar photovoltaic/regenerative fuel cell system, while the primary power needs are met using an SP-100 type reactor. The primary electric power needs, which include 30-kW{sub e} net user power, depend on the reactor thermal power and the efficiency of the power conversion system. Results show that an SP-100 type reactor coupled to a Free Piston Stirling Engine (FPSE) yields the lowest total vehicle mass and lowest specific mass for the power system. The second lowest mass was for a SP-100 reactor coupled to a Closed Brayton Cycle (CBC) using He/Xe as the working fluid. The specific mass of the nuclear reactor power systrem, including a man-rated radiation shield, ranged from 150-kg/kW{sub e} to 190-kg/kW{sub e} and the total mass of the Rover vehicle varied depend upon the cruising speed.
- OSTI ID:
- 5826754
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-910116-; CODEN: APCPC
- Journal Information:
- AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (USA), Vol. 217:1; Conference: 8. symposium on space nuclear power systems, Albuquerque, NM (USA), 6-10 Jan 1991; ISSN 0094-243X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
MARS PLANET
SPACE VEHICLES
DESIGN
BRAYTON CYCLE POWER SYSTEMS
SHIELDING
SOLAR CELLS
SPACE POWER REACTORS
STIRLING ENGINES
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ENERGY SYSTEMS
ENGINES
EQUIPMENT
HEAT ENGINES
MOBILE REACTORS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PLANETS
POWER REACTORS
POWER SYSTEMS
REACTORS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
VEHICLES
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
210600* - Power Reactors
Auxiliary
Mobile Package
& Transportable
640107 - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Planetary Phenomena