The Impact of Nuclear Propulsion on Cislunar Stations

摘要

In 1972 Alan Bond outlined a class of hybrid nuclear engines that combines direct heating of the propellant within the thermodynamic cycle with augmentation by electrical arc heating, powered by the same thermodynamic cycle. Such engines can produce specific impulses over 12,500 N s /kg combined with high thrust levels. The Scorpion studies are exploring the impact of such engines on the development of the Space infrastructure by looking at the impact of a multi-purpose transport system called Scorpion, which uses a specific hybrid nuclear engine concept called Serpent. The Scorpion reflects the constraints of using such an engine; they are by necessity large, require extensive shielding and have operational constraints. But the concept also exploits the performance; incorporating the features needed for extended human flight in deep Space while achieving a mission velocity capability in excess of 10 km/sec. It is shown the Scorpion can deliver and construct space stations around 500 tonnes (ISS size) anywhere in cislunar space on a single flight. This capability compliments another impact the Scorpion would have on space infrastructure development which is to negate the need for smaller sub-100 tonne stations and bases. It is concluded hybrid nuclear engines could significantly change the ability to extend substantial human space activity into cislunar space and beyond, but that they would delay the introduction of cislunar space stations and lunar surface bases, and drive them to much larger sizes when they are built.