« Ils veulent faire exploser l'espace » : comment des scientifiques audacieux envisagent de propulser une sonde grâce à des explosions nucléaires et une voile solaire - Enviro2B

EN BREF 🚀 Propulsion nucléaire : Utiliser des explosions atomiques pour atteindre 1 % de la vitesse de la lumière. 🌞 Voile solaire : Nécessité d’une réflexion élevée et d’une précision extrême pour éviter les erreurs de trajectoire. 🔧 Matériaux ultrarésistants : Défis techniques pour supporter une accélération de 2 000 g et les vents

Feasibility study of a mission to Sedna -- Nuclear propulsion and advanced solar sailing concepts

Exploring the outer reaches of the Solar System presents significant propulsion and mission design challenges. This study assesses the feasibility of a mission to Sedna using two advanced propulsion concepts: the Direct Fusion Drive (DFD) rocket engine, based on D-$^{3}$He thermonuclear fusion, and a solar sail utilizing thermal desorption of its coating for propulsion. Both are evaluated for a one-way Earth-to-Sedna mission; however, due to the different performances the DFD would enable orbit insertion, whereas for the solar sail a flyby is envisioned. The analysis evaluates key mission parameters, including delivered payload capacity, travel time, and potential science return. For the DFD, we assume a 1.6 MW system with constant thrust and specific impulse, while for the solar sail, we consider acceleration via thermal desorption and a gravity-assist maneuver around Jupiter. The mission analysis incorporates four key phases: departure, interplanetary acceleration, interplanetary coasting, and rendezvous. Sedna is expected to pass through the perihelion of its orbit in 2075--2076 and then move again away from the Sun. Considering the distances involved, a mission targeting the object would need to be launched "relatively" soon, especially if using conventional propulsion systems, which could require up to 30 years of deep-space travel. In our study, results indicate that the DFD could reach Sedna in approximately 10 years, with 1.5 years of thrusting, while the solar sail, assisted by Jupiter's gravity, could complete the journey in 7 years. The feasibility of science payload accommodation, power availability, and communication constraints is also considered. These findings provide a comparative foundation for future deep-space mission planning.

US firm's new nuclear fuel could fly rockets to Mars in just 45 days

General Atomic's new nuclear fuel was subjected to the maximum heat of a reactor for 20 minutes in the latest tests.

Nuclear rockets could travel to Mars in half the time

Atlanta GA (SPX) Oct 04, 2024 - NASA plans to send crewed missions to Mars over the next decade - but the 140 million-mile (225 million-kilometer) journey to the red planet could take several months to years round trip. This

The future of space travel could be nuclear

Robert O'Brien was recently appointed as the Director of the Center for Space Nuclear Research with the Universities Space Research Association.

China’s Nuclear-Powered Containership: A Fluke Or The Future Of Shipping?

Since China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) unveiled its KUN-24AP containership at the Marintec China Expo in Shanghai in early December of 2023, the internet has been abuzz about it. Not jus…

NASA and DARPA Tap Lockheed Martin for a Nuclear Propulsion Demonstration

Called DRACO, the in-space propulsion system could revolutionize the way we travel to distant locations.

Stories From Space Podcast With Matt Williams — ITSPmagazine Podcast Network | ITSPmagazine At the Intersection of Technology, Cybersecurity, and Society.

Stories from Space is an examination of the past, present, and future of human spaceflight. Throughout the series, we'll examine the breakthroughs that revolutionized our understanding of the Universe and our place in it. We'll take a look at the brave individuals who work tirelessly to advance the

Realistic Designs N-Q - Atomic Rockets