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Nuclear Reactors in Space: For or Against?


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So US and Russia have nuclear space craft projects (no idea on state of our program at this time) but i didn't saw anything substantial if China is in that quasi-race.

Mars space "subway" spacecrafts are quite interesting use of such vehicles.

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10 hours ago, LoooSeR said:

So US and Russia have nuclear space craft projects (no idea on state of our program at this time) but i didn't saw anything substantial if China is in that quasi-race.

Mars space "subway" spacecrafts are quite interesting use of such vehicles.

 

Yeah I haven't seen anything meaningful from China beyond some papers discussing using some form of nuclear power on a Neptune probe.

 

https://www.sciengine.com/SST/article?doi=10.1360/SST-2020-0399&scroll=

"Based on a comparative analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of radioisotope and nuclear reactor power generators in space applications, this paper determines that the space reactor power generator is the energy scheme of the Neptune exploration mission, proposes four kinds of major scientific problems involved in Neptune exploration, and introduces preliminary scheme ideas, such as the function module, fight orbit, and design constraints of the mission. Then, focusing on the reactor, the thermal-electric conversion device, the technical route, nuclear safety and radiation protection, the study elaborates the technical scheme of a 10 kWe space reactor power generator. The Neptune detector bus scheme, including TT&C communication, electric propulsion, independent operation and management, high-reliability and long-life design, payload, and microsatellite probe, can provide reference for the demonstration and implementation of Neptune exploration."

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Would be something more serious if they had at least something in mock up stage or test rig. Kind of surprising that they are not doing more, even we are doing more substantial work. 

 

2030s would be interesting if/when those nuclear reactor powered vehicles will get online, on top of Spaceship huge lift capacity.

 

 

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