question on NTRs

[spacefire]

Could a Nuclear Thermal Rocket use air as a propellant? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

What is a nuclear Thermal Rocket?<br />(i.e. what mass is being ejected from the uhhh, rear?) <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[pathfinder_01]

Don't know, but I doubt that NTR will be used within the atmosphere of the earth and I doubt they will be used to get off the surface of a planet like mars. The big problem is contaiment of radioactive material(or lack therefore of). The exhust plume would be radioactive...not a good thing. <br /><br />The other problem is thrust, which is something you really need when you want to get into orbit or to take the least amount of time for very short trips(like a manned mission to the moon). <br /><br /><br /> Chemical rockets have more thrust. NTR just has more ISP.

 

[henryhallam]

Yes. See Project Pluto.

 

[baktothemoon]

If you use a nuclear lightbulb engine rather then a solid core reactor then there is no radioactive exhaust. Also you have far greater thrust. That's why I strongly support nuclear rocketry.<br /><br />Here's a good link: www.nuclearspace.com

 

[docm]

Ditto here. Nuclear electric has potential for deep space missions, but NTR is a known tech and perfect for Mars and the inner solar system. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[holmec]

Project Pluto was for airplanes of all things. But to adapt it to a rocket. Maybe the first stage, but if it falls to earth someone would get upset! Remember Chernobl <br /><br />Please do not resurect Dr. Stangelove (AKA Dr. Teller)<br />http://www.llnl.gov/llnl/history/teller.html<br /><br />There may be another way. instead of having the nuclear power plant on the rocket you could have it on the ground and transmit the power via a power laser to the rocket. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#0000ff"><em>"SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off</em></font></p> </div>

 

[pathfinder_01]

I have always been more partial to Nuclear Electric propulsion systems. Mostly because I have this sci fi ish dream of being able to refuel and service spacecraft. Although that day maybe a very long time coming.

 

[gunsandrockets]

Robert Zubrin has some interesting ideas about using NTR with indigenous propellant.<br /><br />One is called the NIMF, for Nuclear propulsion using Indigenous Martian Fuel. It's a nuclear rocket that after landing would collect carbon dioxide from the Martian atmosphere to replenish the propellant tanks. Zubrin's book "The Case for Mars" quotes an ISP of 260 using this scheme. A comparable NTR using hydrogen for propellant would have an ISP of about 1000.<br /><br />If I remember correctly, the other Zubrin idea was for an air-breathing nuclear jet aircraft for exploring Titan. It would heat and expell the atmosphere of Titan for propulsion.<br /><br />There are some interesting factors about using carbon dioxide in an NTR. The first factor is even though the ISP is much lower than using hydrogen, the thrust is just as much higher. Another interesting factor is the higher than expected ISP of CO2, which is from the CO2 breaking down into CO + O2 from the heat of the NTR. Because hot O2 is such an agressive oxidizer, the protective coatings of a CO2 propellant NTR will be challenging. Another problem is CO2 is not much of neutron moderator (unlike hydrogen) so the reactor core will have to use a very different design than the NERVA style engine which used it's hydrogen propellant as a neutron moderator.

 

[Boris_Badenov]

Here’s a link to the MITEE Engine<br /><br />http://www.space.mict.go.th/Article/IAC/%BA%B7%A4%C7%D2%C1%B7%D2%A7%C7%D4%A2%D2%A1%D2%C3/Paper-265.pdf#search="MITEE%20nuclear"<br /><br />Plans for NTR engines have come a long way since NERVA. This one can be built for only about 800kg for a big one & 50kg for a small one. We could have a Jupiter atmospheric observer mission that flies in the upper layer of Jupiter’s clouds for 2 years<img src="/images/icons/cool.gif" /> , or how about a sample return mission to Pluto that could beat New Horizons to the goal<img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> . <br /> NTR's have tremendous potential that we have not yet tapped. We will never find out how powerful they can get until we build the first generation of engines.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#993300"><span class="body"><font size="2" color="#3366ff"><div align="center">. </div><div align="center">Never roll in the mud with a pig. You'll both get dirty & the pig likes it.</div></font></span></font> </div>