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Atmospheric Mining in the Outer Solar System: Interplanetary Transfer Vehicles, In-Situ Resource Utilization, and Moon Mining IssuesAtmospheric mining in the outer solar system has been investigated as a means of fuel production for high energy propulsion and power. Fusion fuels such as Helium 3 (3He) and deuterium can be wrested from the atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune and either returned to Earth or used in-situ for energy production. Helium 3 and deuterium were the primary gases of interest with hydrogen being the primary propellant for nuclear thermal solid core and gas core rocket-based atmospheric flight. A series of analyses were undertaken to investigate resource capturing aspects of atmospheric mining in the outer solar system. This included the gas capturing rate, storage options, and different methods of direct use of the captured gases. While capturing 3He, large amounts of hydrogen and 4He are produced. With these two additional gases, the potential for fueling small and large fleets of additional exploration and exploitation vehicles exists. Analyses of orbital transfer vehicles (OTVs), landers, and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) mining factories are included. Preliminary observations are presented on near-optimal selections of moon base orbital locations, OTV power levels, and OTV and lander rendezvous points. Aerospacecraft with closed cycle gas core propulsion are used to capture the 3He and deuterium from the outer planet atmospheres. Water ice on the outer planet moons has been identified as critical resources for refueling the moon landers and the nuclear electric OTVs. The numbers of interplanetary transfer vehicles (ITVs) and the launch vehicles will be presented. Preliminary design parameters for the ITVs and their payload limits will be assessed. The number of mining machines and their associated issues are addressed.
Document ID
20240007489
Acquisition Source
Glenn Research Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Bryan Palaszewski
(Glenn Research Center Cleveland, Ohio, United States)
Date Acquired
June 11, 2024
Subject Category
Spacecraft Propulsion and Power
Meeting Information
Meeting: AIAA Accelerating Space Commerce, Exploration, and New Discovery (ASCEND)
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Country: US
Start Date: July 30, 2024
End Date: August 1, 2024
Sponsors: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Funding Number(s)
WBS: 981698.01.04.22.03.09
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
Technical Review
Single Expert
Keywords
chemical propulsion
electric propulsion
outer planet mining
in-situ resource utilization
launch vehicles
planetary landers
orbital transfer
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