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A Spherical Torus Nuclear Fusion Reactor Space Propulsion Vehicle Concept for Fast Interplanetary TravelA conceptual vehicle design enabling fast outer solar system travel was produced predicated on a small aspect ratio spherical torus nuclear fusion reactor. Initial requirements were for a human mission to Saturn with a greater than 5% payload mass fraction and a one way trip time of less than one year. Analysis revealed that the vehicle could deliver a 108 mt crew habitat payload to Saturn rendezvous in 235 days, with an initial mass in low Earth orbit of 2,941 mt. Engineering conceptual design, analysis, and assessment was performed on all ma or systems including payload, central truss, nuclear reactor (including divertor and fuel injector), power conversion (including turbine, compressor, alternator, radiator, recuperator, and conditioning), magnetic nozzle, neutral beam injector, tankage, start/re-start reactor and battery, refrigeration, communications, reaction control, and in-space operations. Detailed assessment was done on reactor operations, including plasma characteristics, power balance, power utilization, and component design.
Document ID
19990020975
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Technical Memorandum (TM)
Authors
Williams, Craig H.
(NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH United States)
Borowski, Stanley K.
(NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH United States)
Dudzinski, Leonard A.
(NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH United States)
Juhasz, Albert J.
(NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH United States)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
December 1, 1998
Subject Category
Spacecraft Propulsion And Power
Report/Patent Number
AIAA Paper 98-3591
NAS 1.15:208831
NASA/TM-1998-208831
E-11442
Meeting Information
Meeting: Propulsion
Location: Cleveland, OH
Country: United States
Start Date: July 13, 1998
End Date: July 15, 1998
Sponsors: American Society for Electrical Engineers, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc., American Inst. of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Funding Number(s)
PROJECT: RTOP 242-74-74
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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