Nuclear thermal propulsion: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 18:30, 9 August 2019

Nuclear thermal propulsion uses a nuclear core to heat a propellant and provide propulsion to a space vehicle.

Nerva^[1]

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 Nuclear thermal propulsion uses a nuclear core to heat a propellant and provide propulsion to a space vehicle.
-== History of nuclear thermal propulsion ==
+==History of nuclear thermal propulsion==
-Nerva
-=== Advantages ===
+=== American ===
+Nerva<ref>Nerva on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NERVA</ref>
-* Higher ISP than chemical
+=== Russian ===
-* Higher power energy source
-* Shorter travel time
-* Oberth effect
-=== Disadvantages ===
+== Analysis of use ==
-* Cost
+===Advantages===
-* Cost of development
-* Risk of accident
+*Higher ISP than chemical
+*Higher power energy source
+*Shorter travel time
+*Oberth effect
+*Self cooling
+===Disadvantages===
+*Cost
+*Cost of development
+*Risk of accident
+*Lower ISP than electric
+*Low public trust
+*Thrust to weight ratio usually lower than 1 (cannot take off from a planet)
+=== Types ===
+* Solid core
+* Gas core
+* Nuclear light bulb, open and closed