Deep Space Propulsion Research Papers (original) (raw)

2025, Space Policy

The high cost of launching payloads into orbit e roughly 20,000/kgecontinuestodeterlarge−scaleexplorationandexploitationofspace.Ground−basedlaunchsystemsmayradicallyreducecoststo20,000/kg e continues to deter large-scale exploration and exploitation of space. Ground-based launch systems may radically reduce costs to 20,000/kgecontinuestodeterlarge−scaleexplorationandexploitationofspace.Ground−basedlaunchsystemsmayradicallyreducecoststo200/kg, drastically altering the economics of spaceflight. Low costs will encourage the creation of new markets, including solar-based power satellites and disposal of nuclear waste. The US government should establish a goal of $200/kg by 2020 and provide the resources needed to develop such systems.

2025, Space Policy

2025

This research paper proposes an innovative system for propelling spacecraft using an external powerful engine stationed in Earth's orbit. The spacecraft ascends to space using a lightweight engine, then docks with a space-based propulsion station that transports it to distant destinations such as other planets. This concept helps reduce the cost and weight of launches and opens new horizons for economical and efficient interplanetary travel.-Reduces long-term mission costs.-Allows reuse of the external propulsion system. Challenges:-Complexity of docking in space.-Requires precise navigation and control systems.-Maintenance and protection of the external engine from harsh space conditions. Conclusion This concept represents a step toward developing a sustainable and efficient propulsion system in space. By investing in such ideas, we can reduce costs and expand the scope of future space missions.

2025, International Journal of Research Publication and Reviews

This is a technical paper discussing Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) and its potential for deep space missions. This paper explores the advantages of NTP, especially its ability to provide a balance between thrust and specific impulse, which can significantly reduce travel times compared to chemical propulsion and offer greater efficiency than electric propulsion. By applying NTP to a variety of mission profiles, it addresses the feasibility and potential impact on mission parameters such as trip duration and mass delivery.The paper seems to also focus on improving the fidelity of NTP design concepts, specifically drawing from previous work on missions like the Mars human exploration missions. The goal is to refine mission concept studies, including specific ones like the Triton lander, solar polar orbiter, and interstellar medium probe, to make the case for NTP's application in upcoming NASA missions.Are you looking for further details on specific mission studies mentioned, or perhaps insights into the design concepts themselves.

2025, IT Analysis and Training Ltd

Swindon, UK, April 26, 2025—In an exciting development in astronomical research, Bazil Stanley Solomon has made significant strides in identifying two faint objects moving coldly through space, utilising extensive archival data from the... more

2025

This paper is an offshoot of a project to study means of forming massive radiation- shielded structures using Near Earth Object (NEO) materials. The topic is the conceptual design of a solar-powered robotic craft to land on, attach to, and extract materials from, a typical NEO. A solar-powered trajectory to a candidate NEO is used to estimate requirements. A reconfigurable

2025

Homework on starsails and the Starshot project.

2025

Spacecraft kinematics, peak perihelion temperature and space environment effects during solar-radiation-pressure acceleration for a beryllium hollow-body interstellar solar sail inflated with hydrogen fill gas are investigated. We demonstrate that diffusion is alleviated by an on-board fill gas reserve and electrostatic pressure can be alleviated by increasing perihelion distance. For a 0.1 AU perihelion, a 937 m radius sail with a

2025, Colony 01 Establishing Colonies on Other Planets

Except for a brief mention at the beginning, the paper deals with the technical and legal aspects of space exploration and, to a lesser extent, the energy sources used in the conquest of space. The idea of energy from space is not new. As early as 1923, Konstantin Tsiolkovsky envisioned a system based on mirrors placed in space to send amplified sunbeams back to Earth. A bit later, in 1941, the famous science fiction writer Isaac Asimov came up with a similar idea (ESA 2022a), and in 1975, the physicist Gerard K. O'Neill took the idea one step further, bringing it even closer to the present day: he had already written that "manufacturing facilities in high orbit could be used to build satellite solar power stations from lunar materials" (O'Neill 1975: 943). If we look at the 20 th century space science fiction literature, we can see that the various ways of producing energy that appeared in novels, which seemed impossible and futuristic at the time, are beginning to materialise, or are already partially operational. It might be worth picking up today's science fiction literature to get a more accurate picture of our own future. This paper has a similar goal: to show what kind of energy production and supply opportunities will exist during the exploration and eventual colonisation of space at different locations and distances.

2024

Innovations with artificiale planète with help IA chatgpt

2024, arXiv (Cornell University)

2024

Nuclear fusion has long been considered an ideal method of space propulsion due to the extremely high fuel-specific energy ( + 2 # 10 6 greater than the best chemical fuels) and exhaust velocity ( + 4% of the speed of light versus + 4 km/s for the best chemical fuels). This high performance will allow for rapid interplanetary missions as well as interstellar missions within the lifetime of the researchers involved. 1 Fusion propulsion suffers, however, from two primary complications: the difficulty of igniting a self-sustaining fusion chain reaction and the large amount of ionizing radiation generated by the reaction, which requires a considerable mass of shielding to protect against this radiation. 1 This summary describes the ability of a unique, yet well known, nuclear physics technique known as “spin polarization” to lower both the ignition requirements and the flux of ionizing radiation that the spacecraft must handle. 2 A conservative analysis was performed to estimate the req...

2024, Lockheed Missiles and Space Co. Report

This report presents the results of a study examining the potential of in-situ propellant production (ISPP) on Mars to aid in achieving a low cost Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission. Two versions of such a mission were examined; a baseline version employing a dual string spacecraft and a light weight version employing single string architecture with selective redundancy. Both systems employed light weight avionics currently being developed by Lockheed Martin, Jet Propulsion Lab and elsewhere in the aerospace community, both used a new concept for a simple, light weight parachuteless sample return capsule, both used a slightly modified version of the Mars Surveyor lander currently under development at Lockheed Martin for flight in 1998, and both used a combination of the Sabatier-electrolysis and reverse water gas shift ISPP systems to produce methane/oxygen propellant on Mars by combining a small quantity of imported hydrogen with the Martian CO, atmosphere. It was found that the baseline mission could be launched on a Delta 7925 and return a 0.5 kg sample with 85% mission launch margin, over and beyond subsystem allocated contingency masses. The lightweight version could be launched on a Mid-Lite vehicle and return a 0.25 kg sample with 13% launch margin, over and above subsystem contingency mass allocations. A preliminary cost estimate was generated and it was found that the baseline mission could be flown for a total cost of 302million,whilethelightweightversioncouldbeflownforacostof302 million, while the lightweight version could be flown for a cost of 302million,whilethelightweightversioncouldbeflownforacostof244 million if launched on US launch vehicles. If a Russian Molniya is used to launch the mission instead, total cost of the baseline mission is estimated at 259millionwhilethelightweightversioncanbeflownfor259 million while the lightweight version can be flown for 259millionwhilethelightweightversioncanbeflownfor225 million.

2024

This paper presents a preliminary examination of a novel concept for a Mars and outer solar system exploratory vehicle. Propulsion is provided by utilizing a nuclear thermal reactor to heat a propellant volatile indigenous to the destination world to form a high thrust rocket exhaust. Candidate propellants whose performance, materials compatibility, and ease of acquisition are examined include carbon dioxide, water, methane, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, and argon. Ballistic and winged supersonic configurations are discussed. It is shown that the use of this method of propulsion potentially offers high payoff to a manned 2800K. 283-370 606 253 3000K 310 393 625 264 172 3200K 337 418 644 274 178 3500K 381 458 671 289 187

2024

The exploration of Ice Giants, Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs) and their moons poses unique challenges from a mission design standpoint. NASA is currently developing a scalable 1-10 kW-electric space fission reactor, known as Kilopower, that may be useful in solving these challenges. The focus of this paper is to investigate the applicability of Kilopower Electric Propulsion to orbiting missions to Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. This effort is broken into two parts for each destination. First, a broad search of interplanetary trajectories with multiple gravity assists is completed to identify a range of mission opportunities from 2025 to 2045. Second, preliminary analysis is completed to understand the accessibility of various destination orbits, including elliptical orbits around the primary body and circular orbits around the largest moons. Results suggest that orbital missions to Uranus and Neptune are feasible with reasonable time of flight on medium class launch vehicles. Further work is necessary to achieve similar success with Pluto missions, but preliminary results are promising.

2024

This study explores how the application of the Quantum Harmonic Resonance Framework (QHRF) would revolutionize every aspect of a manned mission to Mars, from launch systems to deep space travel, life support, and the manipulation of space-time for faster-than-light travel. QHRF, by leveraging quantum resonance at fundamental levels, offers solutions to the most challenging aspects of space travel: energy efficiency, propulsion, time dilation, and sustainability. This report breaks down how QHRF can be applied across multiple stages of a Mars mission, enhancing spacecraft technology, optimizing human survival in space, and exploring faster, safer, and more efficient pathways to interplanetary travel.

2024, Feasibility of non-rocket launching cargos into space with usage of EmDrive technologies

Feasibility of non-rocket launching cargos into space with usage of EmDrive technologies
Abstract of report “Feasibility of non-rocket launching cargos into space with usage of EmDrive technologies” to XI International Aerospace Congress (Moscow, Russia August 28 – 31, 2024, https://fund.cra.network/congress_2024.php?lang=ru ).
Zubkov V. I. “Feasibility of non-rocket launching cargos into space with usage of EmDrive technologies”. XI International Aerospace Congress Moscow, Russia August 28 – 31, 2024 ABSTRACTS, 17-18.
Feasibility of non-rocket launching cargos into space with usage of EmDrive technologies
Zubkov V. I.
Insufficiently widely known non-controversial descriptions of microwave and optical (laser) EmDrive engines working principles are given. Attention is paid to the difference between EmDrive engine work in gravitational field and under acceleration. Usage of EmDrive engines as commutated support points for speeding up vehicles which allows eliminating thrust decrease of EmDrive engines with acceleration. Under longitudinal acceleration vehicle pushes off or is attracted to non-accelerating working these EmDrive engine-based support points with force balancing thrust. Then support points are switched off, move forward and procedure is repeated.
Concept of futuristic transport system for launching vehicles into space is proposed. According to proposed concept in case of negligible influence of lateral acceleration on the work of EmDrive engines spacecraft of mass, for example, 〖~ 10〗^4 kg gets vertical velocity ~ 200 km/h with usage of ground-based equipment. Then EmDrive engine with superconductive cavity of ultrahigh Q factor (≳5 ×10^10) and ultrahigh thrust to power ratio (≳300 kN/kW), respectively, elevates spacecraft vertically with constant velocity for about two hours without mechanical work execution. During vertical lift of spacecraft propulsion system with commutated moderate Q factor EmDrive engine-based support points accelerates spacecraft horizontally with acceleration ~ 1.5 m/sec. Support points are commutated with relatively high frequency. Liquid helium and liquid nitrogen are used for cooling ultrahigh Q factor and moderate Q factor EmDrive engine cavities, respectively. Transport system is powered with electric power generator with estimated power ~ 200 kW in this operation mode. In about 2 hours the spacecraft reaches a tangential velocity at the altitude of low Earth orbit (~10 km/sec) and ultrahigh Q factor EmDrive engine is switched off, but propulsion system providing horizontal acceleration of spacecraft goes on working. After using up the generator fuel spacecraft acceleration, for example, up to speed consisting substantial part of light speed (for example, up to speed ~ 200 ×10^3 km/sec) is possible by using propulsion system with laser EmDrive engine-based support points working without cryogenic cooling. Estimated thrust to power ratio of similar propulsion system with VCSEL lasers is ~1 N/kW. Such propulsion system can be powered with a tiny nuclear reactor. If influence of lateral acceleration on work of EmDrive engines is considerable it can be decreased by decreasing horizontal acceleration of spacecraft or entirely eliminated by using arrangement with commutated support points. High energy efficiency of such transport systems is emphasized. Importance of development of considered technologies due to the possibility of using them in geoengineering projects is remarked.

2024

65….…….Normal Interaction with Solar wind 66….…….Voyager 2 Solar Wind Density and Speed 67.……….Solar Wind Average Speed Vs. Heliographic Latitude (Ulysses) 68.……….Solar Wind Average Speed Vs. Heliographic Latitude (Ulysses/Swoops) 68.………. Interaction with Solar Flares 69.………. Solar Wind Pressure Compared to Magsail Magnetic Pressure 70.………. Transient Operation Near Sun 71.……. The Magsail as an Interstellar Mission Brake 71….……. Performance of Near-Term Interstellar Mission Brake 72.………. Performance of Highly Advanced Interstellar Mission Brake 72.…….

2024

An engine moves by reaction against entrapped charged clouds of atomic ions and electrons. It moves an electric field down the length of the engine, operating like an Archimedean propellor with electricallyattracted molecular ions, and the repetition rate of the dipole electrical pulses increases the thrust to interact with a relativistic mass and momentum increase at extreme high velocity internal waveform speeds. It includes possible side-to-side and spiraling induced-momentum changes to latch onto charge clouds of environmental origin. It produces high thrust and provides capabilities for high-speed flight, planetary hover, and local solar-system operation. The system will generally be referred to as an electric engine in this specification. This specification is organized as follows: 1. Overall system description 2. Description of the available electric force in a cubic centimeter of ionized hydrogen gas, to show potential available electrical force, 2.66 TeraNewtons in this case 3. Description of the electric connection or capture capability with the electric force of an ionized hydrogen charge cloud using electrodes 4. Relativity: use speed-based relativistic mass increases on the hydrogen charge cloud, increasing the ion mass by 11 times in this example 5. Engine Design: describes how the engine moves 6. Thrust: calculate the maximum continuous thrust of an example engine using this technology: using rest-mass atom masses; and using relativistically-increased mass. 7. Solar system and atmosphere operation: detailed look at the engine configured for near-Earth operation 8. Ultrafast, deep space engine 9. Hover: The capability for the engine to hover in a gravity field is discussed. 10. Constructive reduction to practice An engine that uses electric fields to move is described. The engine generates internal, moving, high voltage, electric fields to capture and use molecules and atoms of the surrounding space as reaction mass to push and pull against. The speed of the moving electric fields can be set to relativistic speeds, such as 99.99% of the speed of light with respect to the molecules, to address them at relativistic speeds in order to obtain a relativistic mass increase, and thus obtain more reaction mass. The engine can be used in multiple regimes: 1. As a terrestrial hovercraft, 2. As an atmospheric, low-Earth-orbit, and cislunar spacecraft, and 3. A deep-space spacecraft, where the interstellar hydrogen is gathered through a very large net, such as with a Bussard Interstellar Ramjet. First will be discussed the capture and control of the charge clouds. Then the technique to accelerate and decelerate will be described, followed by details of engines appropriate for the three operating regimes, and the construction and design of a particular implementation.

2024

Description/Abstract Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) is an attractive engine power source for interplanetary manned spacecraft, especially for near-term missions requiring minimum flight duration, because ICF has inherent high... more

2024, Journal of the British Interplanetary Society

This paper introduces the strategic concept of energy debt acquired by interstellar migrations at their destination. For such voyages an energy debt of travel can be calculated, where KE V 2 M Travel Population Distance to Destination. In addition, at destination, growth must be initiated to fill the energy and resource needs of the arrivals. A targeted solar system must contain sufficient resources to supply a growth that provides the technological needs of the arriving society and eventually to develop the capability of escaping the system equivalent to that which had been required for the initial launch. Thus, the capacity of the destination to fill the energy debt of the voyage, at a first approximation given by the planetary and solar masses, is a significant factor in the decision to make the voyage. A simple utility ratio,τ, relating voyage time to technological growth time at destination is proposed and two destinations from Earth are considered in terms of this factor. It is proposed that a Kardashev Type II phase of growth results in such a dependency on energy that investing in high resource-use interstellar voyages will be a necessary means by which a technological civilisation can retard consuming its system's entire carrying capacity. Some practical methods of avoiding the voyage's energy debt, including in-flight refuelling, fly-by 'seeding' scenarios and the potentials of exotic physics or higher dimensional life are discussed and shown to be ineffective. Other classes of exploratory voyages such as the Icarus Project's Firefly and those using beamed propulsion methods will also be discussed in relation to the utility ratio. Applying this utility ratio to the likelihood of ETI encounters in any form with Humans at their current stage of development leads to the conclusion that alien encounters will be rare and no scenario for current alien activity on Earth is likely to be correct.

2024, RESEARCHGATE

A Dyson Sphere is a theoretical megastructure that encompasses a star to capture a large percentage of its power output. The concept, proposed by physicist and mathematician Freeman Dyson, imagines advanced civilizations harnessing... more

2024

Fusion-based nuclear propulsion has the potential to enable fast interplanetary transportation. Due to the great distances between the planets of our solar system and the harmful radiation environment of interplanetary space, high specific impulse (I sp) propulsion in vehicles with high payload mass fractions must be developed to provide practical and safe vehicles for human spaceflight missions. The Z-Pinch dense plasma focus method is a Magneto-Inertial Fusion (MIF) approach that may potentially lead to a small, low cost fusion reactor/engine assembly 1. Recent advancements in experimental and theoretical understanding of this concept suggest favorable scaling of fusion power output yield 2. The magnetic field resulting from the large current compresses the plasma to fusion conditions, and this process can be pulsed over short timescales (10-6 sec). This type of plasma formation is widely used in the field of Nuclear Weapons Effects testing in the defense industry, as well as in fusion energy research. A Decade Module 2 (DM2), ~500 KJ pulsed-power is coming to the RSA Aerophysics Lab managed by UAHuntsville in January, 2012. A Z-Pinch propulsion concept was designed for a vehicle based on a previous fusion vehicle study called "Human Outer Planet Exploration" (HOPE), which used Magnetized Target Fusion (MTF) 3 propulsion. The reference mission is the transport of crew and cargo to Mars and back, with a reusable vehicle. The analysis of the Z-Pinch MIF propulsion system concludes that a 40-fold increase of I sp over chemical propulsion is predicted. An I sp of 19,436 sec and thrust of 3812 N-sec/pulse, along with nearly doubling the predicted payload mass fraction, warrants further development of enabling technologies.

2024

The next century of spaceflight will witness an expansion in the physical scale of spacecraft, from the ext,,_me of the microspacecraft to the very l,_r_e megaspacecraft. This will respectively spawn advances in highly integrated and miniaturizee components, and also advances in lightweight structures, space fabrieatio,, and exotic control systems. Challenges are also presented by the advent of advanced propulsion sv_,ems, many of which require controll!n,, and directing hot plasma, dissipating large amounts of waste heat, and handling very high radiation sources. Vehicle configuration studies for a number of these types of advanced spacecraft have been performed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory over the past decade, and some of them are presented in this paper along with the rationale for their physical layouts.

2024

Project Icarus is a design project to show it is possible to conceive of a credible interstellar craft to reach nearby stars such as Alpha Centauri using the power of fusion, giving reduced trip times and larger payloads. This paper describes some of the project in terms of the programme, and it outlines one of the project's key design variants (``Firefly") using it to illustrate how the designing progressed and some of its key features and design considerations. Multiple theoretical means of achieving fusion and the different potential fuels gave rise to several other designs highlighted here too, making it currently difficult to down select a `best option'. Nevertheless, this paper will describe several potential interstellar fusion designs. Further it will show that the work has helped revitalise the subject of potential interstellar missions, not only in terms of designs, but also organisations and people. The primary source of information on this project is already...

2024, 57th International Astronautical Congress

Interstellar transportation to nearby star systems over periods shorter than the human lifetime requires speeds in the range of 0.1-0.15 c and relatively high accelerations. These speeds are not attainable using rockets, even with advanced fusion engines because at these velocities, the energy density of the spacecraft approaches the energy density of the fuel. Anti-matter engines are theoretically possible but current physical limitations would have to be suspended to get the mass densities required. Interstellar ramjets have not proven practicable, so this leaves beamed momentum propulsion or a continuously fueled Mag-Orion system as the remaining candidates. However, deceleration is also a major issue, but part of the Mini-Mag Orion approach assists in solving this problem. This paper reviews the state of the art from a Phases I and II SBIT between Sandia National Laboratories and Andrews Space, applying our results to near-term interstellar travel. A 1000 T crewed spacecraft and propulsion system dry mass at .1 c contains ∼ 9×10 21 J. The author has generated technology requirements elsewhere for use of fission power reactors and conventional Brayton cycle machinery to propel a spacecraft using electric propulsion. Here we replace the electric power conversion, radiators, power generators and electric thrusters with a Mini-Mag Orion fission-fusion hybrid. Only a small fraction of fission fuel is actually carried with the spacecraft, the remainder of the propellant (macro-particles of fissionable material with a D-T core) is beamed to the spacecraft, and the total beam energy requirement for an interstellar probe mission is roughly 10 20 J, which would require the complete fissioning of 1000 ton of Uranium assuming 35% power plant efficiency. This is roughly equivalent to a recurring cost per flight of 3.0 billion dollars in reactor grade enriched uranium using today's prices. Therefore, interstellar flight is an expensive proposition, but not unaffordable, if the nonrecurring costs of building the power plant can be minimized.

2024

The Direct Fusion Drive (DFD) is a nuclear fusion engine that produces both thrust and electric power. It employs a field reversed configuration with an odd-parity rotating magnetic field heating system to heat the plasma to fusion temperatures. The engine uses deuterium and helium-3 as fuel and additional deuterium that is heated in the scrape-off layer for thrust augmentation. In this way variable exhaust velocity and thrust is obtained.

2024, 2008 IEEE Aerospace Conference

This trade study was conducted as a part of the Orion Landing System Advanced Development Project to determine possible Terminal Descent Sensor (TDS) architectures that could be used for a rocket assisted landing system. Several technologies were considered for the Orion TDS including radar, lidar, GPS applications, mechanical sensors, and gamma ray altimetry. A preliminary down selection occurred by comparing each sensor's ability to meet the requirements. The driving requirements included the range of operation, accuracy, and sensor development to a technology readiness level of 6 (TRL-6) by the Orion PDR in June 2008. Additionally, Orion is very mass and volume constrained, so these parameters were weighted heavily. Radar, lidar, and GPS applications all had potential to meet the requirements and were carried on for further analysis. Investigation into GPS led to concerns over potential loss of signal and required ground infrastructure, so GPS was taken out of the trade space. Remaining technologies included a Pulse-Doppler Radar, FMCW Radar, and a Hybrid Lidar ranger and velocimeter (termed the Hybrid Lidar). The trade boils down to the maturity and weather robustness of the radar options versus the mass, volume, power, and heat shield blowout port size advantage of the lidar. This trade study did not result in a recommended TDS. The trade of the mass and volume impact versus the development time and cost should be made at a higher level than this particular trade study. 1,2

2024

A technology assessment and feasibility study is being performed within the ESA Advanced Concepts Team on sending a small-to-medium (700-900 kg) Nuclear Electric Propulsion spacecraft into orbit around Pluto with a mission launch in 2016 using existing or emerging space technology. The objective of the study is to examine which technologies are needed to achieve this objective and to understand how current technology trends can modify this scenario in the future. It is found that a feasible mission, that includes a pioneer anomaly test on the cruise phase, can be accomplished if technologies such as gridded ion engines coupled to multiple Radioisotope Thermal Generators, composite structures and miniaturised avionics/payload are considered.

2024, IEEE Access

In this article, the flight of a mass driver was designed for launch from the Earth with Electro Magnetic Space Launching System (EMSLS). Then the orbit exit from the Earth at 185 km and orbit entry the Moon at 100kmwere examined with respect to change of trajectories by using chemical fuel and the engine in the mass driver. Electromagnetically launched mass drivers should orbit with a specified orbital velocity at a designated altitude. In this paper, the energy is transferred externally to a mass driver throughout the flight path the electromagnetic coil system called multistage (EMSLS) designated in order to achieve the specified orbital velocity. The mass driver is synchronously accelerated by a voltage through the capacitors which are used for storing energy. This energy is transferred through a switching inductor to the circuit of the mass driver so that the mass driver is launched into the orbit with a muzzle velocity. However, this fact creates high air drag energy losses due to atmospheric conditions and high velocity obtained in EMSLS. Thus, in the mass driver at 21km altitude an engine starts to increase the velocity of the system to reach orbital velocity. The final aim of this article is to capture the transfer of v cost for traveling to the Moon. At any given arrival time in order to guide the system, designers only consider the gravity of the Earth and gravity of the Moon by using a Direct Lunar Transfer Trajectory for the Earth to the Moon approach. Finally, EMSLS was evaluated as a more advantageous and complimentary alternative to chemical propulsion systems for space transportation. INDEX TERMS Mass driver, electro magnetic space launching system (EMSLS), muzzle velocity, lunar transfer trajectory from earth, useful payload, V cost, perigee, apogee.

2024

Cosmic Evolution: Nine Turning Points is a course that explains the main science behind each of the major turning points in the evolution of the world. They are: Creation Quantum Physics Matter Atomic Physics... more

2024

As NASA's designated Center of Excellence in Space Propulsion, Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) recently established the Propulsion Research and Technology Division (PRTD), an organization responsible for the theoretical and experimental study of advanced propulsion concepts and technologies. Although the scope of the division is broad, the mission is quite focusedto demonstrate the critical propulsion functions and technologies underpinning the transportation systems and spacecraft needed to achieve NASA's Grand Vision for exploration, commercial development and ultimately human settlement of space. The division is intended to serve as a bridge that takes promising technologies from the conceptual or early experimental stage to proof-of-concept. The aim is to address the key issues associated with promising high-payoff technologies, some of which were conceived decades ago, to where they can be seriously considered for advanced development. This paper describes the division's research strategy and summarizes its current activities.

2024, Deep Space Flight and Communications

2024, Acta Astronautica

An approach to maximise the terminal velocity of a powered spacecraft is investigated through a variable specific impulse programme from two specific-impulse-constant engines. One propulsion system works in a continuous mode. The other one does in a pulsed mode. The variable jet speed is obtained by allowing the time between two consecutive pulses to vary. Modeling the "bias" and pulsed engines together with S/C significant systems a nonlinear programming problem is stated. Propellant and P/L, effective power and propulsion time are fixed. Specialising the problem to a NEP S/C for distant targets in the solar system a comparison is made with same fiights for which the S/C uses one propulsion system. There exist ranges of initial mass and propellant fraction where the final ship velocity augments considerably in the pulse-on-bias policy, especially at lower power levels. In such environments, a meaningful example is a gain of three targets-from Saturn to Pluto-for a 5-ton 150-kWe 75-day 32%-fuel acceleration flight.

2024

This article aims to present the major innovations that are expected to occur in land transport (urban, road and rail), waterway transport, air transport and space transport in the future. What will land, waterway, air and space... more

2024

Progress toward developing an evaluation process for interstellar propulsion and power options is described. The goal is to contrast the challenges, mission choices, and emerging prospects for propulsion and power, to identify which prospects might be more advantageous and under what circumstances, and to identify which technology details might have greater impacts. Unlike prior studies, the infrastructure expenses and prospects for breakthrough advances are included. This first year's focus is on determining the key questions to enable the analysis. Accordingly, a work breakdown structure to organize the information and associated list of variables is offered. A flow diagram of the basic analysis is presented, as well as more detailed methods to convert the performance measures of disparate propulsion methods into common measures of energy, mass, time, and power. Other methods for equitable comparisons include evaluating the prospects under the same assumptions of payload, mission trajectory, and available energy. Missions are divided into three eras of readiness (precursors, era of infrastructure, and era of breakthroughs) as a first step before proceeding to include comparisons of technology advancement rates. Final evaluation "figures of merit" are offered. Preliminary lists of mission architectures and propulsion prospects are provided.

2024, 23rd Joint Propulsion Conference

This is a preprint of a paper intended for publication in * journal or proceedings. Since changes may be made before publication, this preprint is made available with the understanding thai it will nol be cited or reproduced without the... more

2024

A major purpose of the Technical Information Center is to provide the broadest dissemination possible of information contained in DOE'S Research and Development Reports to business, industry, the academic community, and federal, state and local governments. Although portions of this report are not reproducib!e, it is being made available in microfiche to facilitate the availability of those parts of the document which are legible.

2023, 41st AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference & Exhibit

An interstellar "precursor" mission has been under discussion in the scientific community for over 25 years. Fundamental scientific questions about the interaction of the Sun with the interstellar medium can only be answered with in situ measurements that such a mission could provide. The Innovative Interstellar Explorer is a funded NASA Vision Mission Study that investigates the use of Radioisotope Electric Propulsion (REP) to enable such a mission. The problem is the development of a probe that can provide the required measurements and can reach a heliocentric distance of at least 200 astronomical units (AU) in a reasonable mission time. The required flyout speed in the direction of the inflowing interstellar medium is provided by a high-energy launch, followed by long-term, low-thrust, continuous acceleration. Trades from also using gravity assists have been studied along with trades between advanced Multi-mission radioisotope thermoelectric generators (MMRTGs) and Stirling radioisotope generators (SRGs), both powered by Pu-238. While subject to mass and power limitations for the instruments on board, such an approach relies on known General Purpose Heat Source (GPHS), Pu-238 technology and current launch vehicles for

2023, Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space (NETS-2022)

Specific Impulse, Isp, is a measure of a rocket engine's efficiency. It is calculated relative to the Earth's gravita

2023

A propulsion concept in which a spacecraft interacts with both a stream of high-velocity macroscopic pellets and the mass of the interplanetary or interstellar medium is proposed. Unlike previous pellet-stream propulsion concepts, the pellets are slower than the spacecraft and are accelerated backwards as they are overtaken by it, imparting a forward acceleration on the spacecraft. This maneuver is possible due to the interaction with a fixed medium (e.g., interstellar medium); as the spacecraft travels through the medium, it is able to extract power from the relative wind blowing over the spacecraft. As viewed from the rest frame, the kinetic energy of the pellets is transferred to the spacecraft; the source of energy for the propulsive maneuver (i.e., whether the source is the pellets or the wind) is thus reference-frame dependent. This concept relies upon the relative velocities (or shear) between the pellet stream and the fixed medium in order to concentrate the energy of the pellets into the spacecraft and is therefore termed wind-pellet shear sailing. The equations governing the mass ratio of pellets to the spacecraft and its dependence on the final spacecraft velocity are derived, analogous to the classical rocket equation; the critical role of the efficiency of the power ex

2023, Acta Astronautica

To settle the question of the nature of the interstellar object 1I/'Oumuamua requires in-situ observations via a spacecraft, as the object is already out of range of existing telescopes. Most previous proposals for reaching 1I/'Oumuamua using near-term technologies are based on the Solar Oberth Manoeuvre (SOM), as trajectories without the SOM are generally significantly inferior in terms of lower mission duration and higher total velocity requirement. While the SOM allows huge velocity gains, it is also technically challenging and thereby increases programmatic and mission-related risks. In this paper, we identify an alternative route to the interstellar object 1I/'Oumuamua, based on a launch in 2028, which does not require a SOM but has a similar performance as missions with a SOM. It instead employs a Jupiter Oberth Manoeuvre (JOM) with a total time of flight of around 26 years or so. The efficacy of this trajectory is a result of it significantly reducing the ∆V to Jupiter by exploiting the VEEGA sequence. The total ∆V of the trajectory is 15.8 km s −1 and the corresponding payload mass is 115 kg for a SLS Block 1B or 241 kg for a Block 2. A further advantage of the JOM is that the arrival speed relative to 1I/'Oumuamua is approximately 18 km s −1 , much lower than the equivalent for the SOM of around 30 km s −1 .

2023, Acta Astronautica

The first definitely interstellar object 1I/'Oumuamua (previously A/2017 U1) observed in our solar system provides the opportunity to directly study material from other star systems. Can such objects be intercepted? The challenge of reaching the object within a reasonable timeframe is formidable due to its high heliocentric hyperbolic excess velocity of about 26 km/s; much faster than any vehicle yet launched. This paper presents a high-level analysis of potential near-term options for a mission to 1I/'Oumuamua and potential similar objects. Launching a spacecraft to 1I/'Oumuamua in a reasonable timeframe of 5-10 years requires a hyperbolic solar system excess velocity between 33 to 76 km/s for mission durations between 30 to 5 years. Different mission durations and their velocity requirements are explored with respect to the launch date, assuming direct impulsive transfer to the intercept trajectory. For missions using a powered Jupiter flyby combined with a solar Oberth maneuver using solid rocket boosters and Parker Solar Probe heatshield technology, a Falcon Heavy-class launcher would be able to launch a spacecraft of dozens of kilograms towards 1I/'Oumuamua, if launched in 2021. An additional Saturn flyby would allow for the launch of a New Horizons-class spacecraft. Further technology options are outlined, ranging from electric propulsion, and more advanced options such as laser electric propulsion, and solar and laser sails. To maximize science return decelerating the spacecraft at 'Oumuamua is highly desirable, due to the minimal science return from a hyper-velocity encounter. Electric and magnetic sails could be used for this purpose. It is concluded that although reaching the object is challenging, there seem to be feasible options based on current and nearterm technology.