Analysis of Current Propulsion Technologies for Interplanetary Transit with High Mass Payloads

Paul T. Crews Jr.

May 1, 2013

Table 1: Expected Performance Parameters for Examined Propulsion Systems Propulsion System Type Propulsion System Energy Conversion Efficiency Nuclear Thermal Gas Core Solid Core NSWR Radioisotope Direct Nuclear Fission Fragment NPP Antimatter Electrostatic Colloidal Gridded Hall Effect FEEP NanoFET Electromagnetic PIT MPD Electrodeless Helicon PPT Electrothermal VASIMR 5 - 15% < 60% 75% 75 - 90% 40 - 60% 80 - 98% > 90% 20 - 60% 10 40% 61 91% 1,500 3,000 850 1,000 5,000 100,000 650 - 700 1,000,000 > 10,000 13,000 1,100 1,500 1,200 10,000 1,500 2,500 4,000 6,000 100 10,000 1,000 7,000 1,000 11,000 3,350 4,200 500 - 1000 1,000 1,500 3,000 30,000 2,000 200,000+ 20 200,000 5.9 2,790 0.05 0.3 0.005 20 180,000,000 0.001 0.5 0.005 500 < 220 0.001 1,000 1,300 1,500 Specific Impulse Thrust Level (s) (mN)

Arcjet Resistojet

30 - 50% 35 90%

280 2,300 150 700

50 5,000 5 5,000

Note: Data collected from the following resources: (Ad Astra Rocket Company, n.d.; Bering, et al., 2008; Jordan, 2000; Kammash & Tang, 2005; LeMoyne, 2006; Pottinger, Lappas, Charles, & Boswell, n.d.; Winter, 2006; Zubrin R. , 1991)

Figure 1: Visual representation of a gridded electrostatic ion thruster; used additionally on the accompanying webpage on the Electric Propulsion and Electrostatic Propulsion Systems pages (Mysid, 2012).

Figure 2: Alternate depiction of a gridded electrostatic ion thruster; used additionally on the website on the Electrostatic Propulsion Systems page (Ward, 2000).

Figure 3: Depiction of the operation of a Hall Effect thruster; in use on the webpage on the Electrostatic Propulsion Systems page (Edelman, 2012).

Figure 4: Cross section of a Hall Effect thruster with an extended insulator channel; used additionally on the webpage on the Electric Propulsion and Electrostatic Propulsion Systems pages (Jahn & Choueiri, 2002).

Figure 5: Cross section of an SPT Hall Effect thruster with an extended insulator channel; in use on the webpage on the Electrostatic Propulsion Systems page (European Space Agency, 2004).

Figure 6: Cross section of a TAL Hall Effect thruster without an extended insulator channel; in use on the webpage on the Electrostatic Propulsion Systems page (European Space Agency, 2004).

Figure 7: Diagram of a PIT propulsion system; in use on the webpage on the Electromagnetic Propulsion Systems page (Jordan, 2000).

Figure 8: Cross section of a MPD thruster; B denotes the radial magnetic field and j x B denotes the azimuthal drift propelling the charged particles; in use on the website on the Electromagnetic Propulsion Systems page (Jahn & Choueiri, 2002).

Figure 9: Alternate cross section of the MPD thruster: J denotes the electric field, B denotes the magnetic field, and J x B denotes the Lorenz force and particle vector; in use on the webpage on the Electromagnetic Propulsion Systems page (Jordan, 2000).

Figure 10: A cross section of a resistojet thruster; used additionally on the Electric Propulsion and Electrothermal Propulsion Systems pages (Jordan, 2000).

Figure 11: Cross section diagram showing the operation of an arcjet thruster; in use on the webpage on the Electrothermal Propulsion Systems page (Jordan, 2000).

Figure 12: Diagram showing the operation of a VASIMR thruster; used additionally on the Electric Propulsion and Electrothermal Propulsion Systems pages (Ad Astra Rocket Company, n.d.).

Figure 13: A conceptual design for a fission fragment thruster. A indicates the exhaust nozzle on the thruster, B indicates the interior fragment confinement and radiofrequency bombardment chamber, C denotes the deceleration chamber for accelerated particles, d shows the confinement electromagnets, e indicates the radiofrequency coupler, and f is the individual radiofrequency antennae. In use on the webpage under the Nuclear Propulsion Systems and Direct Nuclear Thrust Propulsion Systems pages (Duckysmokton, Dusty plasma bed reactor, 2007).

Figure 14: A picture of a Hall Effect thruster currently in operation; used exclusively on webpage as a banner picture (Zickefoose, Rotter, & Morgan, 2009).

Figure 15: Artists rendering of an MPD thruster system in operation; in use exclusively on the webpage under the Electromagnetic Propulsion Systems page (LaPointe, Self-field MPD thruster, 2001).

Figure 16: A design showing the operation of a MPD propulsion system; in use exclusively on the webpage on the Electromagnetic Propulsion Systems page (Lucas, 2005).

Figure 17: A cross section showing the operation of a VASIMR propulsion system; in use exclusively on the webpage on the Electromagnetic Propulsion Systems page (NASA, 2003).

Figure 18: A diagram showing the operation of a VASIMR propulsion system; in use exclusively on the Electrothermal Propulsion Systems page of the webpage (Ad Astra Rocket Company, 2012).

Figure 19: A schematic showing a solid core active nuclear thermal propulsion system; in use exclusively on the webpage, under the Nuclear Propulsion Systems and Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Systems pages (NASA, 1970).

Figure 20: Diagram denoting the operation of an active nuclear thermal propulsion system; in use exclusively on the webpage, under the Nuclear Propulsion Systems and Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Systems pages (CommiM, 2007).

Figure 21: Artists conception of a fusion rocket en route to Mars; in use exclusively on the webpage, under the Nuclear Propulsion Systems and Direct Nuclear Thrust Propulsion Systems pages (University of Washington, 2013).

Figure 22: Artists rendering of a fission fragment production system for capture and expulsion; a is the fissile material on a disc, b, which impacts the production system denoted by c, and breaking into the fission fragments shown in d. In use exclusively on the website, under the Direct Nuclear Thrust Propulsion Systems page (Duckysmokton, Dusty plasma bed reactor, 2007).

Figure 23: Labeled diagram of an open gas core reactor active nuclear thermal propulsion system; in use exclusively on the website, under the Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Systems page (NASA, 2005).

Figure 25: Artists rendering of a solar sail operating in space; in use exclusively on the website, under the Alternate Propulsion Technologies and Methods page (Mirecki, 2011).

Figure 26: Artists concept of the use of a solar sail above the Earths surface; in use exclusively on the website, under the Alternate Propulsion Technologies and Methods page (NASA, 2011).

Figure 27: Photograph of the Carina Nebula in the Andromeda Galaxy; in use exclusively as the background for the website (NASA, 2003).