RTG powered plasma drives

Space/Science » in reply to Reducing Costs of Space Travel (Unmanned)

Adam — 4/12/2009 9:16:12 AM (archived)

Hi David

RTGs have been studied for powering probes using plasma or ion drives and they can provide a substantial gain in mission specific propulsion. Conversion of heat to electrical power has improved substantially in efficiency - heading towards 20%. It gets tricky getting higher efficiencies for any heat source because the mass of radiators goes up so quickly as their radiation temperature goes down. That's why space-reactor power systems are so damned big - huge radiators. Remember the proposed size of JIMO? Mostly radiators.

The whole thread (16 posts)

Reducing Costs of Space Travel (Unmanned) - David F Mayer - 4/12/2009 3:51:11 AM
- "Manned exploration is the whole point of going to space." - ER - 4/12/2009 12:53:37 PM
  - Spaceport in Low Earth Orbit - Raoul - 4/12/2009 4:53:27 PM
    - When we are a space-faring civilisation, national borders will be irrelevant - nick hoffman - 4/13/2009 1:33:38 PM
- RTG powered plasma drives - Adam - 4/12/2009 9:16:12 AM
  - Radiators Are a BIG Factor. - David F Mayer - 4/12/2009 5:06:35 PM
    - Maybe they use their shields as radiators? - Lee - 4/12/2009 8:28:12 PM
      - Huh? What plasma? Solar wind? Far too sparce. - David F Mayer - 4/12/2009 8:43:49 PM
        
        re: Huh? What plasma? Solar wind? Far too sparce. - Lee - 4/13/2009 4:09:24 AM
        
        And it would be a "look at me" beacon - nick hoffman - 4/13/2009 1:28:48 PM
        
        But what about in real life? - Lee - 4/13/2009 4:47:09 PM
        
        real life or SF? - Nick Hoffman - 4/14/2009 12:56:22 AM
        
        No more scifi than VASIMR - Lee - 4/14/2009 3:34:33 PM
        
        re: No more scifi than VASIMR. - That does not mean that it's 'sci-fi'. (n/t) - Marcia - 4/15/2009 1:51:17 AM
        
        This is exactly why combat aircraft these days have thermal imaging sensors. - David F Mayer - 4/13/2009 4:01:24 PM
        
        Liquid droplet radiators would look cool... - Adam - 4/12/2009 10:06:11 PM

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