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.


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    Title :

    Kuiper Belt Object Orbiter Using Advanced Radioisotope Power Sources and Electric Propulsion


    Contributors:
    S. R. Oleson (author) / M. L. McGuire (author) / J. Dankanich (author) / A. Colozza (author) / P. Schmitz (author)

    Publication date :

    2011


    Size :

    8 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




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