A propulsion system (The PEGASUS Drive) consisting of a magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster driven by a multimegawatt nuclear powersystem is proposed as the propulsion system for a manned Mars mission. The propulsion system described is based on a mission profile containing a 510-day burn time (for a mission time of approximately 1000 days). Electric propulsion system have significant advantages over chemical systems, because of high specific impulse, lower propellant requirements, and lower system mass. The thermal power for The PEGASUS Drive is supplied by a boiling liquid-metal fast reactor. The system consists of the reactor, reactor shielding, power conditioning, heat rejection, and MPD trhuster subsystems. It is capable of providing a maximum of 8.5 megawatts of electrical power of which 6 megawatts is needed for the thruster system, 1.5 megawatts is available for spacecraft system operations and inflight mission applications, leaving the balancing for power system operation.


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    Title :

    PEGASUS: A multi-megawatt nuclear electric propulsion system


    Additional title:

    PEGASUS: Ein 8 MW Kernreaktor fuer elektrischen Antrieb von Raumfahrzeugen


    Contributors:
    Coomes, E.P. (author) / King, D.G. (author) / Cuta, J.M. (author) / Webb, B.J. (author)


    Publication date :

    1986


    Size :

    9 Seiten, 8 Bilder, 5 Tabellen, 10 Quellen


    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English




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    Coomes, E. P. / Cuta, J. M. / Webb, B. J. et al. | NTRS | 1986