The results of an analysis of the effects of meteoroids on nuclear-rocket vehicles for three missions are presented. The probability of failure to complete a lunar mission is negligible for an unprotected nuclear rocket wherein the nuclear stage is used only to accelerate the payload spacecraft to the desired earth-lunar transfer velocity. However, if such an unprotected nuclear rocket of 250,000 lb liquid hydrogen capacity is also used to retro fire the payload into lunar orbit, there is a 2% probability of failure to successfully complete the mission. In the case of the same sized nuclear orbital transfer vehicle, the probability of an unprotected vehicle failing due to meteoroid damage during a single 15-day mission is about 10% and is a virtual certainty to fail to achieve a desired lifetime of 30 to 50 missions. A shield of 0.02-inch aluminum around the liquid hydrogen propellant tank reduces the probability of failure to less than 0.5% for a single mission for both the lunar and orbital mission vehicles. However, for the orbital transfer vehicle, the shield thickness should be increased to about 0.20 inch, and this increased protection results in long vehicle lifetime and maximum lifetime payload. It is further evident that a meteoroid shield of this thickness should be integrated into the tank design to provide solar thermal radiation insulation to reduce propellant boiloff and to increase structural stiffness. (Author)


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    Title :

    Meteoroid Effects on Nuclear Rocket Space Vehicle Mission Success


    Contributors:

    Publication date :

    1963


    Size :

    30 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




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