Space Nuclear Propulsion For Human Mars Exploration

Space Nuclear Propulsion for Human Mars Exploration identifies primary technical and programmatic challenges, merits, and risks for developing and demonstrating space nuclear propulsion technologies of interest to future exploration missions. This report presents key milestones and a top-level development and demonstration roadmap for performance nuclear thermal propulsion and nuclear electric propulsion systems and identifies missions that could be enabled by successful development of each technology.

In 2003, NASA began an R&D effort to develop nuclear power and propulsion systems for solar system exploration. This activity, renamed Project Prometheus in 2004, was initiated because of the inherent limitations in photovoltaic and chemical propulsion systems in reaching many solar system objectives. To help determine appropriate missions for a nuclear power and propulsion capability, NASA asked the NRC for an independent assessment of potentially highly meritorious missions that may be enabled if space nuclear systems became operational. This report provides a series of space science objectives and missions that could be so enabled in the period beyond 2015 in the areas of astronomy and astrophysics, solar system exploration, and solar and space physics. It is based on but does not reprioritize the findings of previous NRC decadal surveys in those three areas.

Personnel representing several NASA field centers have formulated a "Reference Mission" addressing human exploration of Mars. Summarizes their work and describes a plan for the first human missions to Mars, using approaches that are technically feasible, have reasonable risks, and have relatively low costs. The architecture for the Mars Reference Mission builds on previous work of the Synthesis Group (1991) and Zubrin's (1991) concepts for the use of propellants derived from the Martian Atmosphere. In defining the Reference Mission, choices have been made. The rationale for each choice is documented; however, unanticipated technology advances or political decisions might change the choices in the future.

In this book, Donald Rapp looks at human missions to Mars from a technological perspective. He divides the mission into a number of stages: Earth’s surface to low-Earth orbit (LEO); departing from LEO toward Mars; Mars orbit insertion and entry, descent and landing; ascent from Mars; trans-Earth injection from Mars orbit and Earth return. A mission to send humans to explore the surface of Mars has been the ultimate goal of planetary exploration since the 1950s, when von Braun conjectured a flotilla of 10 interplanetary vessels carrying a crew of at least 70 humans. Since then, more than 1,000 studies were carried out. This third edition provides extensive updating and additions to the last edition, including new sections, and many new figures and tables, and references.

This extensive and completely comprehensive proceedings volume offers the most in-depth examination available today of nuclear power for applications in space.

Twenty-six essays written by workers in the space industry and interested lay people make a case for exploring Mars, arguing for the scientific objectives that could be achieved in the Martian "frontier" and even providing a cost and benefit analysis. The discussions suggest specific strategies in "getting there," flight profiles, and rocket designs utilizing nuclear electric propulsion. However, the questions remains--what happens when we arrive? In response, the authors speculate on life support, biomedical issues, transportation, and living spaces based on Biosphere 2 results. Lacks an index. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Provides details of a variety of radioisotope power systems, shows in what circumstances they surpass other power systems, and provides the history of the space missions in which they have been employed. The book also summarizes the use of on-board reactors and the testing done on reactor rocket thrusters.