The advantages of using electric propulsion are well known in the aerospace community. The high specific impulse and, therefore, lower propellant requirements, make it a very attractive option for the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI). Recent studies have shown that nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) is not only attractive for the transport of cargo, but that fast-piloted missions to Mars are possible as well, with alphas on the order of 7.5 kg/Kw. An advanced NEP system with a specific power (alpha) of 2.5 kg/kW or less would significantly enhance the manned mission option of NEP by reducing the trip time even further. This paper describes an advanced system that combines the PEGASUS Drive with systems of the Rotating Multimegawatt Boiling Liquid Metal (RMBLR) power system that was developed as part of the US Department of Energy's (DOE) multimegawatt program, and was just recently declassified. In its original configuration, the PEGASUS Drive was a 10-MWe propulsion system. The RMBLR was a 20-MW electric power system. By combining the two, a second-generation PEGASUS Drive can be developed with an alpha of less than 2.5 kg/kW. This paper will address the technology advancements incorporated into the PEGASUS Drive, the analysis of a fast-piloted and unmanned cargo transport Mars mission, and the integration of laser power beaming to provide surface power. 15 refs., 3 figs., 5 tabs.


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