NASA Proposes Atomic Rocket Program

Such atomic-driven energy systems, said Ed Weiler, NASA's associate administrator for science, would eventually free NASA from a dependance on chemical rockets,

What they need is a launch system that depends on atomic energy.

The title is misleading. Nuclear-electric is a far cry from nuclear rockets.

However small, it is very good to see NASA debating in the arena of the possible once again. NASA is the embodiment of our collective imagination in many ways, and their last really big idea, the space shuttle, has been a resounding success. I say go for it. The amount of money they want is small, the benefit derived could be enormous. We are not the greatest nation on Earth for nothing. Dream on ye sons of freedom, dream on.

Damn, I remember this from when I was a kid. Back in the 50's and early 60's they were working on an atomic rocket.

The more things change the more they remain the same.. well.. almost :-)

What they need is a launch system that depends on atomic energy.

Lasers powered by nuclear reactors would do the job. There are other alternatives too. Once in space. There are electric drives of various sorts, as well as using a reactor to heat reaction mass. Of course my favorite for the in space propulsion system is "Old Bang Bang", which would have used small fusion bombs (i.e thermonulcear devices) acting against a LARGE buffer plate to provide propulsion. See "Footfall", by Niven and Pournelle, for a description, and a rolling good story too.

I was re-reading some of Pournelle's non-fiction writings from the 70s, and we have made very darn little progress since then. Its 2002, 2001 is dead and gone, where is my Hilton space hotel? My Pan Am (I'll settle for American Airlines) shuttle, and my moon base? I'm so disappointed. Back when I first watched the movie (first run in theaters, had to travel 60 miles to see it) those were realistic expectation, more or less, if the politicians, starting with LBJ and Nixon, hadn't messed things up so badly.

I suppose the term "nuclear electric" includes VASIMR. If they build a ship with this propulsion system, it would be revolutionary.

I suppose VASIMR would be considered an electric or electromagnetic plasma motor. Using a nuke as the power source ought to put this in the category being funded in the new budget.

SpaceRef - Future Technology - Nuclear Propulsion

Antiproton-catalyzed micro-fusion and fusion propulsion - This page by the Advanced Propulsion Technology Group at NASA JPL deals with inertial-confinement antiproton-catalyzed micro-fission/fusion nuclear (ICAN) propulsion concept under development at Pennsylvania State University (PSU)
Gas core nuclear rockets - Short of using antimatter, the highest reactor core temperature in a nuclear rocket can be achieved by using gaseous fissionable material. In the gas-core rocket, radiant energy is transferred from a high-temperature fissioning plasma to a hydrogen propellant. Advanced Propulsion Technology Group at NASA JPL.
High-Temperature Nuclear Reactors for Space Applications - Institute of Physics and Power Engineering (IPPE) at the State Research Center of Russian Federation is one of the primary developers of compact, efficient reactors for space nuclear power systems which use direct conversion of nuclear heat into electrical energy. Between 1970-1984 seven power systems with reactors of this type were tested on the ground at the special IPPE test site. "TOPAZ" units were tested twice in space as an electric power source for the "COSMOS" satellites. Thermionic fuel elements (TFE's) for "TOPAZ" reactors were designed, fabricated, and in-pile tested in the IPPE.
History of the US nuclear space program - An overview of nuclear power and propulsion research conducted by the US.
Hybrid nuclear-thermal and nuclear-electric propulsion - This website by the Advanced Propulsion Technology Group at NASA JPL contains a detailed introduction to hybrid nuclear-thermal and nuclear-electric propulsion.
Inertial confinement fusion (ICF) propulsion - This website by the Advanced Propulsion Technology Group at NASA JPL contains a detailed introduction to inertial confinement fusion propulsion.
Liquid core nuclear rockets - This website by the Advanced Propulsion Technology Group at NASA JPL contains a detailed introduction to liquid core nuclear rockets.
LOX-augmented nuclear thermal rockets (LANTR) - This website by the Advanced Propulsion Technology Group at NASA JPL contains a detailed introduction to LOX-augmented nuclear thermal rockets.
Magnetic confinement fusion (MCF) propulsion - A magnetic confinement fusion (MCF) reactor confines the fusion plasma with strong electromagnetic fields. Advanced Propulsion Technology Group at NASA JPL.
Nerva Rocket - This page at NASA JPL contains some high resolution photographs and schematics of the NERVA nuclear propulsion system.
Nuclear Propulsion Introduction - This website by the Advanced Propulsion Technology Group at NASA JPL contains a detailed introduction to various forms of nuclear propulsion under study at NASA and other research agencies.
ORION Nuclear Pulse Vehicle - This site contains some drawings and model photographs that illustrate several design concepts for the Orion nuclear pulse powered space vehicle proposed inthe late 1950's.
Orion nuclear spaceship - A description of the concept for starship propulsion that would utilize a regular series of small nuclear explosions.
Particle bed nuclear rockets - This website by the Advanced Propulsion Technology Group at NASA JPL contains a detailed introduction to the Particle bed nuclear rocket. In the particle-bed (fluidized-bed, dust-bed, or rotating-bed) reactor, the nuclear fuel is in the form of a particulate bed through which the working fluid is pumped.
Radioisotope "poodle" thruster - This website by the Advanced Propulsion Technology Group at NASA JPL contains a detailed introduction to the radioisotope "poodle" thruster. The "Poodle" thruster concept is derived from radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) technology. Basically, the thermoelectric converters from the RTG are removed, and energy from the RTG nuclear fuel capsules is used to heat a propellant "working fluid," such as hydrogen, water, helium, etc., to temperatures of 1500 to 2000 degrees C and then expand the hot gas through a nozzle.
Solid core nuclear rockets - This website by the Advanced Propulsion Technology Group at NASA JPL contains a detailed introduction to solid core nuclear rockets.

NASA has become No Access to Space for Americans. It is deliberatly thwarting efforts for non-NASA access to space, especially by private groups. It has become just another governemt bureaucarcy defending its monopoy.

If you want to understand this as a part of a great fiction novel, search the net to find "Kings of the High Frontier" by Victor Koman.

NASA has become No Access to Space for Americans.

Agreed. One of Niven's novels ("Gil the ARM"), set in the late 21st - early 22nd century, looks back at the late 20th century and NASA's weird political spacecraft and marvels how ridiculously bureaucratic and wasteful the whole process was.

NASA has become No Access to Space for Americans. It is deliberatly thwarting efforts for non-NASA access to space, especially by private groups. It has become just another governemt bureaucarcy defending its monopoy.

Sadly, I must agree. I worked at NASA while a college student in the 70s. During that time I remember one of the scientists in our department morosely remarking one day that NASA had just passed the point of having one bureaucrat for each scientist on their staff. I've been watching NASA ever since, and it's clear that the productive, dynamic heyday of the 60s is gone forever. If we had to return to the Moon today, we could not afford to do so.

It really saddens me to say this: NASA has accomplished great things, but like an athlete, or a race-horse, beyond his (or her) prime, it needs to be put out to pasture.

that's where the long-term engine firing comes from. The writer just meanders a bit, so it's hard to catch. :)

Yes. See Orion in #9 below. That's what I was thinking of.

Thanks for all the links. :-)

Not only long term motor firing, but throughout the entire mission. Except when deliberately coasting such as when in orbit around a comet or asteroid. This has been done, but not with serious power such as a nuke plant would provide. But even with just solar power to run the motor, a small continuous thrust adds up to a lot of vee-dot, significantly more acceleration when compared to chemical motors.

This equals quicker deep space missions, short transit time to Mars and outer planets. Economic viability for asteroid mining would be significantly enhanced. I won't say what the profit margin becomes with nuke power because it will scare everybody, even those who are most pro space development.

Let's pray that private industry gets there first--do we really want the government to have that much power over the commodities markets?!

Let's pray that private industry gets there first

Private industry cannot function without the blessing of government. That's how it has been since the founding of Rome and the destruction of Carthage. The old order passed away, end of the age.

Instead of wishing for private industry to get moving, let's get government to make it possible. That is the effective course. All other avenues are blocked.

Get a permit to mine the moon. Report back when you have the license signed, sealed, and stamped.

from 2002.