Researchers at Ohio State University are making progress in the development of a nuclear propulsion system, which will shorten the time lapses in possible trips to the far reaches of the solar system, as well as improve the safety of space missions with humans on board.
Nuclear propulsion and rocket technology
At present, space travel relies heavily on chemical engines. However, they have significant limitations in terms of the amount of fuel they consume and the thrust they generate.
Against this backdrop, the Ohio State University team, led by Associate Professor Dean Wang, is developing the centrifugal nuclear thermal rocket(CNTR). Unlike traditional systems using solid fuel elements, this innovative concept uses liquid uranium to directly heat the rocket propellant, which could double the engine’s efficiency.
In fact, chemical engines achieve a specific impulse of approximately 450 seconds; the CNTR could achieve much higher values. Such a capability would shorten the travel time to planets like Mars to six months, and would also make trajectories feasible that conventional engines do not allow.
Likewise, the nuclear thermal propulsion opens new doors for the exploration and use of space resources. The flexibility of CNTR to use different substances as propellant could accelerate the development of resources on asteroids or in the Kuiper Belt.
On the other hand, there are still technical challenges, such as the startup and shutdown processes. However, the Ohio State team’s response remains optimistic. The concept is expected to reach the design phase within the next five years, making progress toward safer and more efficient space exploration.
Source: Ohio State News
Photo: Getty Images
