Publication Date:
2019-07-13
Description:
Rapid transportation of human crews to destinations throughout the solar system will require propulsion systems having not only very high exhaust velocities (i.e., I(sub sp) 〉= 10(exp 4) to 10(exp 5) sec) but also extremely low mass-power ratios (i.e., alpha 〈= 10(exp -2) kg/kW). These criteria are difficult to meet with electric propulsion and other power-limited systems, but may be achievable with propulsion concepts that use onboard power to produce a net gain in energy via fusion or some other nuclear process. This paper compares the fundamental performance of these gain-limited systems with that of power-limited systems, and determines from a generic power balance the gains required for ambitious planetary missions ranging up to 100 AU. Results show that energy gain reduces the required effective mass-power ratio of the system, thus enabling shorter trip times than those of power-limited concepts.
Keywords:
Spacecraft Propulsion and Power
Type:
Jun 20, 1999; Los Angeles, CA; United States
Format:
text
Permalink