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Full-Text Articles in Nuclear Engineering
Enhancements To Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Rockets, Kimberly Gonzalez
Enhancements To Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Rockets, Kimberly Gonzalez
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Nuclear thermal rocket propulsion has been proposed as a highly efficient technology for space vehicles traveling from earth orbit to the moon, Mars, and other locations in the solar system. With twice the performance of a chemical rocket, nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) uses the thrust produced by heating hydrogen gas within a thermal nuclear reactor where the exhaust is then passed through a de Laval nozzle to produce supersonic flow. NTP engines were the subject ofthe NERVA experiments at the Nevada Test Site in the 1970’s, and they produced a specific impulse of up to 900 seconds which is almost …
Viability Of Energy And Fuel Sources For Interstellar Travel; Design And Feasibility Of The Construction Of Manned Interstellar Space Shuttles, Lukas Mittelman
Viability Of Energy And Fuel Sources For Interstellar Travel; Design And Feasibility Of The Construction Of Manned Interstellar Space Shuttles, Lukas Mittelman
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
The importance of proving the viability of interstellar transport and addressing its potential hazards and pitfalls is immense. If we do not look toward the future and examine what could be waiting for us, we are doing our children, our children’s children, and so on, a disservice. Here we must attempt to lay the groundwork for our future scientists, engineers, and adventurers. Asking and answering questions like, which propulsion and energy systems must we incorporate to send us through the cosmos? Will we utilize technologies known today, such as fossil fuel rockets, fission or fusion rockets, and antimatter drives (pion …