Difference between revisions of "Nuclear thermal propulsion"
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Nuclear thermal propulsion uses a nuclear core to heat a propellant and provide propulsion to a space vehicle. | 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== |
| − | |||
| − | === | + | === American === |
| + | Nerva<ref>Nerva on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NERVA</ref> | ||
| − | + | === Russian === | |
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | == | + | == 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 | ||
Revision as of 09:30, 9 August 2019
Nuclear thermal propulsion uses a nuclear core to heat a propellant and provide propulsion to a space vehicle.
Contents
History of nuclear thermal propulsion
American
Nerva[1]
Russian
Analysis of use
Advantages
- 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
