Space Nuclear Propulsion for Human Mars Exploration
Space Nuclear Propulsion for Human Mars Exploration

Author: National Academies of Sciences Engineering and Medicine

Publisher:

Published: 2021-11-12

Total Pages:

ISBN-13: 9780309684804

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Space Nuclear Propulsion for Human Mars Exploration identifies primary technical and programmatic challenges, merits, and risks for developing and demonstrating space nuclear propulsion technologies of interest to future exploration missions. This report presents key milestones and a top-level development and demonstration roadmap for performance nuclear thermal propulsion and nuclear electric propulsion systems and identifies missions that could be enabled by successful development of each technology.

Priorities in Space Science Enabled by Nuclear Power and Propulsion
Priorities in Space Science Enabled by Nuclear Power and Propulsion

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2006-03-20

Total Pages: 158

ISBN-13: 0309180104

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In 2003, NASA began an R&D effort to develop nuclear power and propulsion systems for solar system exploration. This activity, renamed Project Prometheus in 2004, was initiated because of the inherent limitations in photovoltaic and chemical propulsion systems in reaching many solar system objectives. To help determine appropriate missions for a nuclear power and propulsion capability, NASA asked the NRC for an independent assessment of potentially highly meritorious missions that may be enabled if space nuclear systems became operational. This report provides a series of space science objectives and missions that could be so enabled in the period beyond 2015 in the areas of astronomy and astrophysics, solar system exploration, and solar and space physics. It is based on but does not reprioritize the findings of previous NRC decadal surveys in those three areas.