In Fiscal Year 1992, NASA led a team, including DOE, universities, and industry, that evaluated various schedule and cost scenarios for development of nuclear thermal rocket propulsion systems for piloted Mars exploration. This paper summarizes the results of two of these studies: (1) a so-called 'Fast Track' approach, that would result in technology readiness level 6 (TRL-6-system ground testing complete) by the year 2000, and (2) a slower program that results in TRL-6 by 2006. Both scenarios included a concurrent engineering approach. Costs and schedules for the two scenarios are compared. In addition to the six-year schedule delay, the TRL-6 in 2006 scenario is estimated to increase the cost of the program from $4.7 billion to $5.8 billion (in real-year dollars). On the positive side, the technical program should be better, since nuclear testing of fuel elements may be possible prior to concept down-select, resulting in a more informed decision.


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    Titel :

    A comparison of nuclear thermal rocket development cost and schedule for piloted missions to Mars


    Beteiligte:

    Kongress:

    AIAA, SAE, ASME, and ASEE, Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit ; 1993 ; Monterey, CA, United States


    Erscheinungsdatum :

    1993-06-01


    Medientyp :

    Aufsatz (Konferenz)


    Format :

    Keine Angabe


    Sprache :

    Englisch


    Schlagwörter :