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Getting To Mars Quickly With Nuclear Electric Propulsion
- NASA is exploring the idea of using nuclear electric propulsion to shorten the travel time to Mars for a crewed mission. Engineers at NASA’s Langley Research Center are working on a nuclear electric propulsion system that could bring Mars within reach in about two years. The system is called the Modular Assembled Radiators for Nuclear Electric Propulsion Vehicles (MARVL). MARVL is connected to NASA’s goal of developing a Mars Transit Vehicle, aka Deep Space Transport, in the next decade or by the late 2030s. One of the system’s components is its heat dissipation system, designed as an array about the size of a football field once deployed. Folding the entire system up into a small enough payload to fit inside a rocket fairing isn’t an option, so engineers are looking to assemble the system in space with robots.
- Space robotics is advancing and will play a larger role as the future unfolds. Making the heat dissipation system modular and assembling it in space with robots opens up new possibilities. The entire idea is an engineering challenge, but one that’s not that far out of reach. NASA’s Langley Research Centre played an important role in the development of the Apollo Lunar Module and contributed to other endeavours like the Hubble Space Telescope and the Viking Mars Lander. Space technology and research are one of their primary focuses.
- The MARVL project team is producing a vehicle from the ground up that is designed to be launched in pieces and assembled in space. The Nuclear Electric Propulsion system wasn’t the only one under consideration. NASA also considered the Nuclear Thermal Propulsion system. They also considered a “quad-wing” design for the NEP system. However, the “quad-wing” system required more propellant, and the deployment systems in that design were heavy and complicated. It also required a larger surface area.
- The Bi-Wing design has several advantages over the Quad-Wing design. It can be launched piece by piece in commercial launch vehicles without the need for the SLS, and the rocket payload fairing doesn’t restrict the radiator size. NASA gave the MARVL project team two years to develop the idea. By then, the team hopes to have a small-scale ground demonstration ready.
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