A joint NASA GRC/JPL design study was performed for the NASA Radioisotope Power Systems Office to explore the use of radioisotope electric propulsion for flagship class missions. The Kuiper Belt Object Orbiter is a flagship class mission concept projected for launch in the 2030 timeframe. Due to the large size of a flagship class science mission larger radioisotope power system building blocks were conceptualized to provide the roughly 4 kW of power needed by the NEXT ion propulsion system and the spacecraft. Using REP the spacecraft is able to rendezvous with and orbit a Kuiper Belt object in 16 years using either eleven (no spare) 420 W advanced RTGs or nine (with a spare) 550 W advanced Stirling Radioisotope systems. The design study evaluated integrating either system and estimated impacts on cost as well as required General Purpose Heat Source requirements.
Kuiper Belt Object Orbiter Using Advanced Radioisotope Power Sources and Electric Propulsion
Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space 2011 ; 2011 ; Albuquerque, NM
2011-02-10
Aufsatz (Konferenz)
Keine Angabe
Englisch
Kuiper Belt Object Orbiter Using Advanced Radioisotope Power Sources and Electric Propulsion
British Library Conference Proceedings | 2011
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