NASA-Navy Nuclear Plans Announced

space.com ^ | 3/22/04 | Leonard David

[KevinDavis]

Need to cross the ocean of space with enough oomph and energy to get to Jupiter? Bring in the Navy.

That’s what NASA and its Project Prometheus has done by partnering with the Department of Energy’s Naval Reactors (NR) Program. The joint effort, reported last month by SPACE.com, was formally announced March 17.

An early target for the collaboration is a space-rated nuclear reactor for the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO) mission. JIMO will visit Jupiter's three icy moons, Ganymede, Callisto and Europa.

NR brings 50-plus years of practical experience in compact, long-lived reactor systems carried on submarines and aircraft carriers. NR is a joint DOE and Department of the Navy organization responsible for all aspects of naval nuclear propulsion.

NASA will fund all work under the partnership.

JIMO has been touted as being launched in 2011 or later, but recent NASA planning charts show it slipping to 2015. The science community involved in plotting out the JIMO mission has strongly advocated to NASA -- as a top science priority -- that the spacecraft carry a Europa Surface Science Package (EESP) dedicated to astrobiology.

Established in 2003, Project Prometheus is developing radioisotope electric power sources for use in space and on planets or moons, as well as new fission-reactor power sources for advanced missions into deep space.

[KevinDavis]

Say what you will about NASA, it is about time that NASA is doing something. Yes I know we have a deficit, however NASA is worth the investment in which we all benefit.

[Fitzcarraldo]

The US Navy and nuclear propulsion go together. Good choice, NASA.

[KevinDavis]

[demlosers]

JIMO mission has strongly advocated to NASA -- as a top science priority -- that the spacecraft carry a Europa Surface Science Package (EESP) dedicated to astrobiology.

Anyone have any details for EESP?

[Severa]

PINGs her husband for when he can surface and actually read it *L*

[sheik yerbouty]

I'm in..

[LibWhacker]

Only people who hate humanity want it forever to remain on this little bullseye in the inner solar system. Let's start exploring. It's time.

[KevinDavis]

I agree lets go!

[TBall]

I say you get the Navy to handle the entire project. NASA can read about in in the post.

[PogySailor]

An early target for the collaboration is a space-rated nuclear reactor for the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO) mission.

Wonder what ORSE workup will be like?

[Ronaldus Magnus]

All these worlds are yours save Europa. Make no landings there.

Arther C. Clark, 2010

[Hanging Chad]

How can nuclear propusion work in space?
I don't get it.

[RS]

We put our first SNAP into space in 1965

http://www.physics.isu.edu/radinf/chrono4.htm

http://www.uic.com.au/nip82.htm

http://www.nuc.umr.edu/nuclear_facts/spacepower/spacepower.html

[Hanging Chad]

Oh, here is how...
from second link in post 13.
thanks RS
- - -
Fission systems - propulsion

For spacecraft propulsion, once launched, some experience has been gained with nuclear thermal propulsion systems (NTR) which are said to be well developed and proven. Nuclear fission heats a hydrogen propellant which is stored as liquid in cooled tanks. The hot gas (about 2500°C) is expelled through a nozzle to give thrust (which may be augmented by injection of liquid oxygen into the supersonic hydrogen exhaust). This is more efficient than chemical reactions. Bimodal versions will run electrical systems on board a spacecraft, including powerful radars, as well as providing propulsion. Compared with nuclear electric plasma systems, these have much more thrust for shorter periods and can be used for launches and landings.

However, attention is now turning to nuclear electric systems, where nuclear reactors are a heat source for electric ion drives expelling plasma out of a nozzle to propel spacecraftspacecraft already in space. Superconducting magnetic cells ionise hydrogen or xenon, heat it to extremely high temperatures (millions °C), accelerate it and expel it at very high velocity (eg 30 km/sec) to provide thrust. Research for one version, the Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR) draws on that for magnetically-confined fusion power (tokamak) for electricity generation, but here the plasma is deliberately leaked to give thrust. The system works most efficiently at low thrust (which can be sustained), with small plasma flow, but high thrust operation is possible. It is very efficient, with 99% conversion of electric to kinetic energy. Heatpipe Power System

[King Prout]

about bloody time.
they should go further, and plan to use submariners on longrange manned probes.

[King Prout]

keyword: KIWI

[RS]

"they should go further, and plan to use submariners on longrange manned probes."

they should go further, and plan to use DEMOCRATS on longrange manned probes.