Saturday, February 11, 2023

3869 - NUCLEAR ROCKETS - are they safe to go to the moon?

 

-  3869  -    NUCLEAR  ROCKETS  -  are they safe to go to the moon? Nuclear power presents transformative possibilities for space exploration and the innovative study we are conducting on this could help to propel our next generation of astronauts into space faster and for longer, significantly increasing our knowledge of the universe.


------  3869  -   NUCLEAR  ROCKETS  -  are they safe to go to the moon?

-     A Nuclear Reactor could provide power on the Moon.  First, astronauts will be sent to the Moon for the first time since the Apollo Era.  Then followed by the creation of permanent infrastructure that will allow them to say there for extended periods.

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-    The first crewed missions will be sent to Mars, with follow-up missions every 26 months, culminating in the creation of surface habitats, a permanent base. To meet these objectives, space agencies are investigating next-generation propulsion, power, and life support systems.

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-    This includes solar-electric propulsion (SEP), where solar energy is used to power extremely fuel-efficient Hall-Effect thrusters.  They are looking into nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) and compact nuclear reactors, allowing for shorter transit times and providing a steady power supply for Lunar and Martian habitats.

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-    Thermoelectric generators have been integral to long-range space exploration for decades. The first missions to rely on them include the Viking 1 and 2 orbiters and landers that were the first to explore the surface of Mars.   The Voyager 1 and 2 probes, currently in interstellar space, also relied on thermoelectric reactors that allowed them to remain in operation for more than 45 years.

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-    In recent decades, multi-mission radioisotope thermoelectric generators (MMRTG) have enabled missions like the New Horizons probe and the Curiosity and Perseverance rovers.

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-   In December 2021, Rolls-Royce signed a contract with the UKSA to study nuclear power options for future space missions. The resulting technology will provide propulsion and power systems for long-duration missions far from Earth, where solar power is not always an option.

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-     During a Martian year (which lasts 687 Earth days), the distance between Mars and the Sun ranges from 1.38 to 1.66 times the distance between the Earth and the Sun. As a result, Mars receives about half the energy Earth does, and seasonal dust storms can lead to heavily-overcast skies that can play havoc with solar panels.

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-    Some examples include the Opportunity rover, which remained in continuous operation on Mars for 15 years until a global dust storm in 2018 ended the mission. More recently, the InSight lander ceased operations due to the build-up of dust on its solar panels.

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-    Another issue with sending crewed missions to Mars is the transit times involved. The current mission architecture is to launch missions every 26 months to coincide with Mars and Earth being at their closest points in their orbit ( a Mars Opposition). Using conventional technology, these missions will take six months to reach the Red Planet. During that time, the crews will be exposed to elevated levels of solar and cosmic radiation and living in microgravity.

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-    Rolls-Royce is developing a “micro-reactor” to enable nuclear propulsion and surface base power. The concept was unveiled in October 2021.  The system would be capable of providing power in the “watts to megawatts” range, and the technology would have applications in space and here at home.

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-  Alongside the micro-reactor technology is the development of Radioisotope Power Systems, and the space opportunities of converting ‘decay heat’ into electrical energy via thermoelectric generators or moving parts.

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-    The  Rolls-Royce Micro-Reactor is designed to use an inherently safe and extremely robust fuel form. Each uranium particle is encapsulated in multiple protective layers that act as a containment system, allowing it to withstand extreme conditions.

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-   These include reactors that would power surface habitats on the Moon and Mars  and fast-transit nuclear spacecraft that will explore beyond the Earth-Moon system and even beyond Mars. Other potential applications include hypersonic space planes, small satellites, and on-orbit assembly.

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            February 9, 2023    NUCLEAR  ROCKETS  -   safe to go to the moon?       3869                                                                                                                          

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--------------------- ---  Saturday, February 11, 2023  ---------------------------

 

 

 

 

         

 

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