Transport vehicle for manned Mars missions powered by inertial confinement fusionInertial confinement fusion (ICF) is an ideal engine power source for manned spacecraft to Mars because of its inherently high power-to-mass ratios and high specific impulses. In this paper a concept is produced for a vehicle powered by ICF and utilizing a magnetic thrust chamber to avoid plasma thermalization with wall structures and the resultant degradation of specific impulse, that are unavoidable with the use of mechanical thrust chambers. This vehicle is capable of 100-day manned Mars missions with a 100-metric-ton payload and a total vehicle launch mass near 6000 metric tons, based on advanced technology assumed to be available by A.D. 2020.
Document ID
19870058014
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Orth, Charles D. (California, University Livermore, United States)
Klein, Gail (California Univ. Livermore, CA, United States)
Sercel, Joel (California Institute of Technology Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, United States)
Hoffman, Nathan (California Univ. Livermore, CA, United States)
Murray, Kathy (Rockwell International Corp. Canoga Park, CA, United States)
Chang-Diaz, Franklin (NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)