Roadmap to Nuclear Gas Core Rockets (2021 AIAA Student Paper Competition)

Original Paper:

[jeffreycallaway]

Stumbled on this randomly while I'm working on my own AIAA student paper, really fascinating topic and thanks for giving me an understanding of what to expect in the competition!

[francescoiacono]

as a materials engineer I have seen a problem that I do not think you have considered: hydrogen embrittlement both in the reactor and also but not very pronounced in the tank. and it is not small if we have hot hydrogen for months in contact with the metal the engine will break. good discussion anyway

[evannibbe]

You may want to put a sci-hub link to your paper in the description.

[thomasciarlariello]

Open cycle is better than closed cycle since it can function like a fission fragment instead of NERVA design.

[jamesngari]

Amazing paper. Made me go even deeper in learning nuclear propulsion and going through older white papers to find lost ideas. Definitely would love to talk more maybe through email

[gary.richardson]

If I remember correctly, Blue Origin is winner of a contract to develop nuclear rockets. If so, I hope they do it right in quality and speed to exceed Starship demand. In my opinion, it is not worth the time and resources to continue competing directly when competing in a complimentary manner is more lucrative.

[hgraminho]

Very interesting concept. Have you considered placing the plasma core and the hydrogen heating chamber on both foci of a reflective ellipse, respectively? The idea here beeing the greater physical separation of both the nuclear and thruster systems, perhaps allowing for a safer and less cramped design.

[Joe-xqzu]

Still not as crazy as the nuclear saltwater rocket.

[glike]

Why not use Ammonia fuel for nuclear thermal rocket to get a compromise of low molecular weight with much less problems than just hydrogen fuel.

[francisdavis]

"Crazy"? We understand fission and it's the most practical path to practical thrust levels with appreciable specific impulse. Zubrin's nuclear salt rocket would be easier but gas core would be the step after that. We need an answer.

[afulwind]

i still lean toward the concept of using the reactor to generate power....
apply a large bank of ultracapacitors
and a set of multi tiered electromagnetic couplings.

align the couplings to three celestial masses with a significant gravity and spin.
calculate the compression of the magnetic filed to stretch a field to each mass.
anchor vessel to earths magnetosphere.
make connection to each of the other three magnetospheres.
drop connection to earths magnetosphere.
ship should center itself between the three masses .

yes it is a tracking nightmare to keep your field linked to the stars while moving.
let alone pin pointing which three masses to get your center point closest to your destination.

[gary.richardson]

An orbital launch cannon that captures and recycles muzzle exhaust may be feasible for secondary firings and as a supplement for other drive technologies.

[YT]

How would you maintain the plasma confined while accelerating more than 1g?

[glike]

Earth threatening asteroid impact prevention, and space geoengineering are reasons why these kinds propulsion technologies should be developed to ready for an emergency

[francisdavis]

... have to resurrect some old Germans to get anything done these days...

[RS-mnvc]

Can thorium replace Uranium in this ??

[eningtu]

the reason there is no papers beond any decade in the past. is due to the black projects. for example nuclear cruise missiles, nuclear jet planes. well no one would ever admit of a nuclear rocket space fleet capable of reaching and returning. from the voyager probes in a few months. amazing that the voyegers started transmiting data again after a few years of none. some person on your sight may be the idea generator. for a working nuclear drives for all the apps stated above. this person might have worked out the flight paths for the voyagers. with a gravity assist from the planets in the 1970's. this person might have invented the first gen. 6 nuclear reacter. that will not go china syndrome. built by the e.u. simple air cooled graphite ceramic balls. that stay at 780 kelvin with all cooling pumps off and sustain the 780 kelvin after a spike to about 800 kelvin. p.s. no one will ever say that in the fule crisis era. nuclear tow jet planes ever were built. a way of economic cold war wins for the u.s.a. things allong this nature might have forced the u.s.s.r. to go bankrupt. due to fule costs for them.

[evannibbe]

You may want to add a sci-hub link to your paper in the description.