This paper will briefly identify a promising fusion plasma power source, which when coupled with a promising electric thruster technology would provide for an efficient interplanetary transfer craft suitable to a 4 year round trip mission to the Jovian system. An advanced, nearly radiation free Inertial Electrostatic Confinement scheme for containing fusion plasma was judged as offering potential for delivering the performance and operational benefits needed for such high energy human expedition missions, without requiring heavy superconducting magnets for containment of the fusion plasma. Once the Jovian transfer stage has matched the heliocentric velocity of Jupiter, the energy requirements for excursions to its outer satellites (Callisto, Ganymede and Europa) by smaller excursion craft are not prohibitive. The overall propulsion, power and thruster system is briefly described and a preliminary vehicle mass statement is presented.
Advanced Plasma Propulsion for Human Missions to Jupiter
1999
6 pages
Report
No indication
English
Electric & Ion Propulsion , Rocket Engines & Motors , Space Technology , Plasma power sources , Plasma propulsion , Electrostatic propulsion , Fusion propulsion , Inertial confinement fusion , Plasma control , Magnetoplasmadynamics , Energy requirements , Jupiter(Planet) , Europa , Callisto , Ganymede , Superconducting magnets
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