by Rick L. Sterling
The SEI program was announced by President George H. W. Bush on July 20,1989 at a speech he gave at The National Air & Space Museum. The President's plan called for the completion of Space Station Freedom, the construction of a lunar base & a manned expedition to Mars. Later the President called for detailed studies about how to achieve these fascinating goals. One of these research groups (The Stafford Commission) requested that the general public submit proposals for lunar & Mars exploration.
I had been interested in nuclear rockets since I first read about them in science fiction novels as a child. I knew that The Rover Nuclear Rocket Program was started by Senator Clinton P. Anderson in 1960. It had tested nuclear rockets such as Kiwi & Phoebus for many years with much success. In addition, President Kennedy had called for its accelerated development in the same speech that he proposed the moon landing (May 25,1961). Finally, Dr. Wernher Von Braun had proposed the use of NERVA for a manned Mars expedition to the Space Task Group in 1969. Thus, I knew it had a rich history in the US. I wondered if given the President's speech, the time was now right to revisit the issue of nuclear propulsion systems.
A nuclear rocket's primary advantage over chemical powered rockets was the fact that they could generate many times more specific impulse (ISP). Specific impulse is similar to miles per gallon in automobiles in that it is a measure of the efficiency of the fuel. Greater specific impulse means less travel time to Mars & thus more protection for the astronauts from the effects of microgravity (bone loss, muscle loss, etc.). If the US Government were seriously interested in manned interplanetary travel, it would have to consider nuclear propulsion.
NERVA Reactor RocketGiven these facts, I decided to submit a research paper that stressed the advantages of nuclear power over chemical propulsion. My paper emphasized the NERVA (Nuclear Thermal Rocket) but also discussed other types of nuclear rockets (Nuclear Electric, Gas-Core Nuclear Rockets & even Nuclear Fusion Systems). I discussed not only the technical aspects of nuclear propulsion systems but other issues such as international cooperation in the development of space nuclear propulsion (Russian development of nuclear electric rockets & joint funding), the positive effect that its development would have on our country's young people (Manned interplanetary travel & NERVA, etc. would increase their motivation to study math, physics & space science) & the economic & commercial consequences of manned interplanetary travel that utilized nuclear propulsion systems. I took about two weeks to research & write my paper. I sent it to The Stafford Commission in June,1990, but I really didn't think they would support my proposals. I was to be pleasantly surprised. The Commission adopted just about everything I had recommended in my paper. Regarding NERVA system The Stafford Commission stated. "Based on experience gained in this program and the Space Exploration Initiative requirements, nuclear thermal rockets, with further development, are the choice propulsion technology for the interplanetary phase of a Mars Mission." (America At The Threshold-America's Space Exploration Initiative - Page 66). In addition regarding my proposal to use the NERVA system & the SEI concept as an academic motivator for our country's young people, The Commission stated, "The Space exploration Initiative will rejuvenate interest in science & engineering & The Space Exploration Initiative will motivate and inspire the new generations on which our future as a nation depends." (America At The Threshold-America's Space Exploration Initiative-Pages 12-13) For the next decade nothing was done about Nuclear Rockets.
Then a few months ago President Bush proposed his Nuclear Systems Initiative. This program will cost almost a billion dollars over the next five years & will include the development of nuclear electric rockets. I had discussed nuclear electric rockets in my 1990 research paper, and I knew they could produce a specific impulse 10 times that of chemical rockets. With this type of program President George W. Bush was laying the groundwork for many of the manned interplanetary missions of the early 21st century. It's been a long time coming.
Bush has been trying to get money for quite a while now... even before he got the majority installed in Congress...