Estimates of power requirements for a Manned Mars Rover powered by a nuclear reactor
- 1. NASA, Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, OH (United States)
- 2. New Mexico Univ., Albuquerque (United States)
Description
This paper assesses the power requirement for a Manned Mars Rover vehicle. Auxiliary power needs are fulfilled using a hybrid solar photovoltaic/regenerative fuel cell system, while the primary power needs are meet using an SP-100 type reactor. The primary electric power needs, which include 30-kW(e) net user power, depend on the reactor thermal power and the efficiency of the power conversion system. Results show that an SP-100 type reactor coupled to a Free Piston Stirling Engine yields the lowest total vehicle mass and lowest specific mass for the power system. The second lowest mass was for a SP-100 reactor coupled to a Closed Brayton Cycle using He/Xe as the working fluid. The specific mass of the nuclear reactor power system, including a man-rated radiation shield, ranged from 150-kg/kW(e) to 190-kg/KW(e) and the total mass of the Rover vehicle varied depend upon the cruising speed. 14 refs
Additional details
Publishing Information
- Publisher
- American Institute of Physics.
- Imprint Place
- New York, NY (United States)
- Imprint Title
- Space nuclear power systems. Part 1
- Imprint Pagination
- 518 p.
- Journal Page Range
- p. 245-252.
INIS
- Country of Publication
- United States
- Country of Input or Organization
- United States
- INIS RN
- 24039032
- Subject category
- S21: SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS;
- Descriptors DEI
- MARS SPACE PROBES; NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS; RADIOISOTOPE BATTERIES; REGENERATIVE FUEL CELLS; SOLAR CELLS; SPACE POWER REACTORS; SPACE VEHICLES; THERMOELECTRIC GENERATORS; TRANSPORT
- Descriptors DEC
- DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS; ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS; EQUIPMENT; FUEL CELLS; MOBILE REACTORS; NUCLEAR FACILITIES; PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS; PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS; POWER PLANTS; POWER REACTORS; REACTORS; SOLAR EQUIPMENT; THERMAL POWER PLANTS