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 ==
+
Liquid hydrogen is usually used as the propellant as it has a higher velocity for the same input power, and therefore produces a faster final velocity according to the [[Propulsion|rocket equation]].
Nerva
 
  
=== Advantages ===
+
__NOTOC__
 +
==History of nuclear thermal propulsion==
  
* Higher ISP than chemical
+
===American===
* Higher power energy source
+
Nerva<ref>Nerva on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NERVA</ref> 
* Shorter travel time
+
{| class="wikitable"
* Oberth effect
+
!Propellant
 +
|Liquid hydrogen
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="2" |Performance
 +
|-
 +
!Thrust (vac.)
 +
|246,663 N (55,452 lb<sub>f</sub>)
 +
|-
 +
!Chamber pressure
 +
|3,861 kPa (560.0 psi)
 +
|-
 +
!''I''<sub>sp</sub> (vac.)
 +
|841 seconds (8.25 km/s)
 +
|-
 +
!''I''<sub>sp</sub> (SL)
 +
|710 seconds (7.0 km/s)
 +
|-
 +
!Burn time
 +
|1,680 seconds
 +
|-
 +
!Thrust to weigh ratio
 +
!1.36
 +
|-
 +
!Restarts
 +
|24
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="2" |Dimensions
 +
|-
 +
!Length
 +
|6.9 meters (23 ft)
 +
|-
 +
!Diameter
 +
|2.59 meters (8 ft 6 in)
 +
|-
 +
!Dry weight
 +
|18,144 kilograms (40,001 lb)
 +
|}
  
=== Disadvantages ===
+
*
  
* Cost
+
*
* Cost of development
+
 
* Risk of accident
+
===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 close to 1 (cannot take off from Earth with a significant payload)
 +
 
 +
===Types===
 +
 
 +
*Solid core
 +
*Gas core
 +
*Nuclear light bulb, open and closed
 +
 
 +
==References==
 +
<references />

Revision as of 10:38, 9 August 2019

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

Liquid hydrogen is usually used as the propellant as it has a higher velocity for the same input power, and therefore produces a faster final velocity according to the rocket equation.


History of nuclear thermal propulsion

American

Nerva[1]

Propellant Liquid hydrogen
Performance
Thrust (vac.) 246,663 N (55,452 lbf)
Chamber pressure 3,861 kPa (560.0 psi)
Isp (vac.) 841 seconds (8.25 km/s)
Isp (SL) 710 seconds (7.0 km/s)
Burn time 1,680 seconds
Thrust to weigh ratio 1.36
Restarts 24
Dimensions
Length 6.9 meters (23 ft)
Diameter 2.59 meters (8 ft 6 in)
Dry weight 18,144 kilograms (40,001 lb)

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 close to 1 (cannot take off from Earth with a significant payload)

Types

  • Solid core
  • Gas core
  • Nuclear light bulb, open and closed

References