Nasa studying advanced nuclear rocket technologies nasa. Nasa advanced propulsion researchers are a step closer to safely sending human explorers to mars and other solar system destinations. Ntp offers virtually unlimited energy density and specific impulse roughly double that of the highest performing traditional chemical systems.
Uclear thermal propulsion ntp is an attractive option for in space propulsion for exploration missions to mars and beyond. The simplest design just involves passing hydrogen propellant over the core of a standard if light weight nuclear reactor. However plans have been made to fly fully functional nuclear reactors in order to provide propulsion as well as power some spacecraft.
In theory nuclear propulsion allows the rocket to have a supposedly unlimited range. This nuclear propulsion is what makes the engine stand out it s a literal flying nuclear power source. You can do chemical propulsion to mars but it s really hard.
At the center of nasa s nuclear rocket program is bill emrich the man who literally wrote the book on nuclear propulsion. While there are numerous texts available describing rocket engine theory and nuclear reactor theory this is the first book available describing the integration of the two. Principles of nuclear rocket propulsion provides an understanding of the physical principles underlying the design and operation of nuclear fission based rocket engines.
Game changing technology for deep space exploration. Nerva nasa s nuclear energy for rocket vehicle applications a us nuclear thermal rocket program. Nuclear power sources could also be used to provide the spacecraft with electrical power for operations and scientific instrumentation.
Nuclear thermal rockets can provide great performance advantages compared to chemical propulsion systems. A nuclear thermal rocket ntr is a type of thermal rocket where the heat from a nuclear reaction often nuclear fission replaces the chemical energy of the propellants in a chemical rocket in an ntr a working fluid usually liquid hydrogen is heated to a high temperature in a nuclear reactor and then expands through a rocket nozzle to create thrust.
