New Mars Forums

cIclops

Member

Registered: 2005-06-16

Posts: 3,230

Re: Nuclear Thermal Rockets (NTR)

A magnetic bottle needs heavy superconducting magnets and lots of power and it won't do anything to stop those pesky neutrons. How does it increase Isp?

---

[color=darkred]Let's go to Mars and far beyond -  triple NASA's budget ![/color] [url=irc://freenode#space]  #space channel !! [/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/user/c1cl0ps]   - videos !!![/url]

GCNRevenger

Member

From: Earth

Registered: 2003-10-14

Posts: 6,056

Re: Nuclear Thermal Rockets (NTR)

BY increasing the density of the uranium plasma, the nuclear reaction is accelerated and the temperature increases significantly. Hence, higher propellant temperature and increased Isp.

---

[i]"The power of accurate observation is often called cynicism by those that do not have it." - George Bernard Shaw[/i]

[i]The glass is at 50% of capacity[/i]

fdfdkdfakjfdajfkfdakjfjfa

InActive

From: phobos

Registered: 2008-03-15

Posts: 1

Re: Nuclear Thermal Rockets (NTR)

lanuch from earth is dangerous, so why not mine uranium from the moon, put it in lunar orbit where ships from earth can pick it up.

Moon fans might say they don't like risk of radioactivity on the moon either, but with less gravity, smaller simpler rockets less likely to explode can be used to launch into orbit.

cIclops

Member

Registered: 2005-06-16

Posts: 3,230

Re: Nuclear Thermal Rockets (NTR)

Hi there, interesting name

Far in the future this may be practical, but for a long time the cost of mining, extraction and preparation as fuel elements would be prohibitive.

---

[color=darkred]Let's go to Mars and far beyond -  triple NASA's budget ![/color] [url=irc://freenode#space]  #space channel !! [/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/user/c1cl0ps]   - videos !!![/url]

Terraformer

Member

From: The Fortunate Isles

Registered: 2007-08-27

Posts: 3,907

Website

Re: Nuclear Thermal Rockets (NTR)

Thought you were a spammer with a name like that.  8)    8)

---

Use what is abundant and build to last

GCNRevenger

Member

From: Earth

Registered: 2003-10-14

Posts: 6,056

Re: Nuclear Thermal Rockets (NTR)

One of the great lies of Greenpeace et al and one one of the things most laymen don't understand is that Uranium is not appreciably radioactive. The atoms that result when Uranium splits, thats the radioactive stuff that should scare you. However, purified Uranium splits very very slowly on its own, so effectively none of these nasty product atoms are formed until the fission reaction (in the reactor) is started.

Uranium is little more dangerous than Lead. Workers at French nuclear reactors and Canadian fuel element factories need no more shielding from fresh Uranium than plastic bags or kitchen gloves - not lead and concrete.

It is only after the reactor is started up that the fuel becomes intensely radioactive, so if a brand new reactor crashes? No problem.

---

[i]"The power of accurate observation is often called cynicism by those that do not have it." - George Bernard Shaw[/i]

[i]The glass is at 50% of capacity[/i]

cIclops

Member

Registered: 2005-06-16

Posts: 3,230

Re: Nuclear Thermal Rockets (NTR)

Future NTP Development Synergy Leveraged from Current J·2X Engine Development (PDF) - PDF dated 15 Apr 2008

NTP development planning studies conducted internally at NASA show an extended development period on the order of ~ 12 years or more in order to mature and certify human-rated NTP system that will enable crewed exploration missions beyond cislunar space. A development cycle for a comparable conventional liquid propellant rocket engine generally requires 8-10 years, but a NTP development effort would require more time to accomplish fuel development, permitting, and recovery/build-up of necessary infrastructure. The NTP planning study detailed a notional NTP development effort including build-up of ground infrastructure, system development and integration, extensive testing and technology risk mitigation. After the study was concluded, it was identified that there are areas in the current scope of the ongoing J-2X engine development program that are concurrent with the identified needs of a notional NTP development program.

Interesting huh. Dare we dream that NASA are getting serious about this?

---

[color=darkred]Let's go to Mars and far beyond -  triple NASA's budget ![/color] [url=irc://freenode#space]  #space channel !! [/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/user/c1cl0ps]   - videos !!![/url]

Antius

Member

From: Cumbria, UK

Registered: 2007-05-22

Posts: 1,003

Re: Nuclear Thermal Rockets (NTR)

A closed cycle molten salt reactor may turn out to be the most practical SSTO propulsion system.  Water or air could be used as the reaction mass and radioactive fission products could be separated from the molten salt before the vehicle reenters the Earths atmosphere.  The waste would be stashed in orbit.  A small rocket propulsion system could be used to jettison accumulated waste into a stable solar orbit.

The craft would probably be sea-launched from the Pacific, so any accident during takeoff would not contaminate a populated area.

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,433

Re: Nuclear Thermal Rockets (NTR)

While the discusion of nuclear has been in the Boeing thread I have had enough of it being sidelined due to the banter of nuclear vs solar enabled propulsion. In the old days I could have moved the posts to the more appropiate topic and it would have been enough.

Here is the topic on newmars for reference:
Ion Engines
Nuclear rocket
600 seconds
Nuclear Ion Propulsion

Not a rocket buta nuclear use:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/J2X/
Inside the LEO Doghouse: Nuclear Thermal Engines

But so again was this one NERVA, Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,433

Re: Nuclear Thermal Rockets (NTR)

bump another topic