NASA mission planning for space nuclear power
Abstract
An evaluation is conducted of those aspects of the Space Exploration Initiative which stand to gain from the use of nuclear powerplants. Low-power, less than 10 kW(e) missions in question encompass the Comet Rendezvous Asteroid Flyby, the Cassini mission to Saturn, the Mars Network mission, a solar probe, the Mars Rover Sample Return mission, the Rosetta comet nucleus sample return mission, and an outer planets orbiter/probe. Reactor power yielding 10-100 kW(e) can be used by advanced rovers and initial lunar and Martian outposts, as well as Jovian and Saturnian grand tours and sample-return missions.
- Publication:
-
Space Nuclear Power Systems
- Pub Date:
- 1991
- Bibcode:
- 1991snpw.proc...77B
- Keywords:
-
- Mission Planning;
- Nasa Space Programs;
- Nuclear Propulsion;
- Space Exploration;
- Space Power Reactors;
- Cassini Mission;
- Comet Rendezvous Asteroid Flyby Mission;
- Grand Tours;
- Manned Mars Missions;
- Mars Sample Return Missions;
- Astronautics (General)