> Edward,
>
> the 'electric rocket engine', or Magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster (MPDT) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetoplasmadynamic_thruster would, indeed provide ample propulsion for such craft, as would the Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variable_Specific_Impulse_Magnetoplasma_Rocket. Both provide good thrust for a high speed mission to other planets, moons or belts, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said that VASIMR technology could be the breakthrough technology that would reduce the travel time on a Mars mission from months to days. In order to be effective, however, both will require an onboard nuclear reactor ( of the basic naval type adapted for use in space. The VASIMR has the advantage of providing a mechanism for providing variability in thrust and in its' being a motor with virtually no moving parts. VASIMR does not use electrodes and magnetically shields plasma from all the hardware parts, thus eliminating electrode erosion, a major source of wear and tear in ion engines, including the MPDT. This motor also has the advantage of having been flown in space by Ad Astra Rocket Company - the 200kW motor will be tested on the ISS.
> On December 10, 2008, Ad Astra Company signed an agreement with NASA to arrange the placement and testing of a flight version of the VASIMR, the VF-200, on the International Space Station(ISS). Its launch is anticipated in to be in 2011 or 2012, though it may be later. Since the available power from the ISS is less than 200 kW, the ISS VASIMR will include a trickle-charged battery system allowing for 15 min pulses of thrust.
>
> The ISS orbits at a relatively low altitude, so as to make it easily accessible from Earth. The downside of this, however, is that the ISS experiences fairly high levels of atmospheric drag, making periodic boosts of altitude necessary. Currently, altitude reboosting by chemical rockets fulfills this requirement. If the tests of VASIMR reboosting of the ISS goes according to plan, the increase in specific impulse could mean that the cost of fuel for altitude reboosting will be one-twentieth of the current $210 million annual cost.
>
> Exciting stuff! If someone would get on the ballo with a spacegoing reactor, we'd be well on our way to everywhere. The VASIMR motor, btw, would weigh only about 300 kg.
>
> Victor (crookedman)
Brooks
that's right.
Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 2010 9:34 AM
To: spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [spacesettlers] ISS VASIMR
> Edward,
>
> the 'electric rocket engine', or Magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster (MPDT) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetoplasmadynamic_thruster would, indeed provide ample propulsion for such craft, as would the Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variable_Specific_Impulse_Magnetoplasma_Rocket. Both provide good thrust for a high speed mission to other planets, moons or belts, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said that VASIMR technology could be the breakthrough technology that would reduce the travel time on a Mars mission from months to days. In order to be effective, however, both will require an onboard nuclear reactor ( of the basic naval type adapted for use in space. The VASIMR has the advantage of providing a mechanism for providing variability in thrust and in its' being a motor with virtually no moving parts. VASIMR does not use electrodes and magnetically shields plasma from all the hardware parts, thus eliminating electrode erosion, a major source of wear and tear in ion engines, including the MPDT. This motor also has the advantage of having been flown in space by Ad Astra Rocket Company - the 200kW motor will be tested on the ISS.
> On December 10, 2008, Ad Astra Company signed an agreement with NASA to arrange the placement and testing of a flight version of the VASIMR, the VF-200, on the International Space Station(ISS). Its launch is anticipated in to be in 2011 or 2012, though it may be later. Since the available power from the ISS is less than 200 kW, the ISS VASIMR will include a trickle-charged battery system allowing for 15 min pulses of thrust.
>
> The ISS orbits at a relatively low altitude, so as to make it easily accessible from Earth. The downside of this, however, is that the ISS experiences fairly high levels of atmospheric drag, making periodic boosts of altitude necessary. Currently, altitude reboosting by chemical rockets fulfills this requirement. If the tests of VASIMR reboosting of the ISS goes according to plan, the increase in specific impulse could mean that the cost of fuel for altitude reboosting will be one-twentieth of the current $210 million annual cost.
>
> Exciting stuff! If someone would get on the ballo with a spacegoing reactor, we'd be well on our way to everywhere. The VASIMR motor, btw, would weigh only about 300 kg.
>
> Victor (crookedman)
My understanding is the ISS would use the waste Hydrogen that they currently dump overboard to fuel the VASIMR.
Brooks
On 28.07.2010 16:34, brooksn wrote:
>
> > Edward,
> >
> > the 'electric rocket engine', or Magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster
> (MPDT) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetoplasmadynamic_thruster would,
> indeed provide ample propulsion for such craft, as would the Variable
> Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR)
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variable_Specific_Impulse_Magnetoplasma_Rocket.
> Both provide good thrust for a high speed mission to other planets,
> moons or belts, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said that VASIMR
> technology could be the breakthrough technology that would reduce the
> travel time on a Mars mission from months to days. In order to be
> effective, however, both will require an onboard nuclear reactor ( of
> the basic naval type adapted for use in space.
with nearly double the solar cell area as the ISS features?
Wouldn't the reference design with 3120 sqm be able, to provide enough
power for such drives, which makes a nuclear reactor unnecessary?
The craft shown in the following link would not need to provide the
power for human needs in space and could use it for propulsion and other
reasons.
This one here is deploy able in one single launch:
http://solar-thruster-sailor.info/PresentationISSS2010V13.pdf
It is thought as a demonstrator for the transmission of energy from
space to Earth. Since it features hybrid propulsion and a large docking
station for daughter units, docking able daughter thruster units could
refuel them just by docking a new thruster unit in again.
So it would be possible, to build up a robotic/tele-operated transport
space infra structure.
Best wishes
Frank
The VASIMR has the
Frank,
Not being an electrical engineer, I can't get into detail possibilities as
to this system. According to the data I've read on the VASMIR system, It'll
use quite a bit of electrical power both for heating and ionizing the fuel,
and for creating and maintaining a strong electomagnetic containment bottle
so as to remove the necessity for an electrode that would rapidly erode as
in conventional ion engines and combustion chamber/bell chamber. In VASMIR,
all components are magnetically protected from degradation by strong
electromagnets which draw power of their own. The literature I've
referenced fails to get into the exact figures on power needs and usages per
component, but simply states that:
Other applications for VASIMR such as the rapid transportation of people to
Mars would require a very high power, low mass energy source, such as a
nuclear reactor (see nuclear electric rocket). NASA Administrator Charles
Bolden said that VASIMR technology could be the breakthrough technology that
would reduce the travel time on a Mars mission from months to days.
^ Morring, Frank (2010). "Commercial Route". Aviation Week & Space
Technology (McGraw Hill) 172 (6): 2023.
interplanetary craft that would incorporate a VASMIR ion engine as main
propulsion, with a 'Roller Reefing SSPS array as adjunct thruster and power
source rather than a nuke, am I correct? I'm simply not certain (or
qualified to venture an educated guess) as to whether the SSPS system would
be capable of generating, on a continuous basis the energy necessary to run
the VASMIR, and also, supposedly, environmental systems assuming that we
plan to use these ships for people (another consideration is the decreased
availability of solar energy further out in the system). I would be
interested in the answer, if anyone more qualified speaks up.
Victor
From: "Frank"
Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2010 12:45 AM
To:
Cc: "brooksn"
Subject: Re: [spacesettlers] ISS VASIMR
On 29.07.2010 20:18, Victor Smith wrote:
> Frank,
> Not being an electrical engineer, I can't get into detail possibilities as
> to this system. According to the data I've read on the VASMIR system, It'll
> use quite a bit of electrical power both for heating and ionizing the fuel,
> and for creating and maintaining a strong electomagnetic containment bottle
> so as to remove the necessity for an electrode that would rapidly erode as
> in conventional ion engines and combustion chamber/bell chamber. In VASMIR,
> all components are magnetically protected from degradation by strong
> electromagnets which draw power of their own. The literature I've
> referenced fails to get into the exact figures on power needs and usages per
> component, but simply states that:
> Other applications for VASIMR such as the rapid transportation of people to
> Mars would require a very high power, low mass energy source, such as a
> nuclear reactor (see nuclear electric rocket). NASA Administrator Charles
> Bolden said that VASIMR technology could be the breakthrough technology that
> would reduce the travel time on a Mars mission from months to days.
> ^ Morring, Frank (2010). "Commercial Route". Aviation Week& Space
> Technology (McGraw Hill) 172 (6): 2023.
>
> It sounds like what you're looking at is the possibility of a hybrid
> interplanetary craft that would incorporate a VASMIR ion engine as main
> propulsion, with a 'Roller Reefing SSPS array as adjunct thruster and power
> source rather than a nuke, am I correct?
Best wishes
Frank
> I'm simply not certain (or