Space Nuclear Propulsion for Human Mars Exploration

By: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences and Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board and Space Nuclear Propulsion Technologies Committee

Sign Up Now! Already a Member? Log In
You must be logged into Bookshare to access this title. Learn about membership options, or view our freely available titles.

Synopsis: Space Nuclear Propulsion for Human Mars Exploration identifies primary technical and programmatic challenges, merits, and risks for developing and demonstrating space nuclear propulsion technologies of interest to future exploration missions. This report presents key milestones and a top-level development and demonstration roadmap for performance nuclear thermal propulsion and nuclear electric propulsion systems and identifies missions that could be enabled by successful development of each technology.