Lunar South Pole space water extraction and trucking system
This concept proposes to use thermal processes alone to extract water from the lunar South Pole and launch payloads to low lunar orbit. Thermal steam rockets would use water propellant for space transportation. The estimated mass of a space water tanker powered by a nuclear heated steam rocket sugge...
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ftosti:oai:osti.gov:658152 2023-07-30T04:06:52+02:00 Lunar South Pole space water extraction and trucking system Zuppero, A. | Zupp, G. Schnitzler, B. Larson, T.K. Rice, J.W. 2012-06-28 application/pdf http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/658152 https://www.osti.gov/biblio/658152 unknown http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/658152 https://www.osti.gov/biblio/658152 21 NUCLEAR POWER REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS SPACE PROPULSION REACTORS MOON ICE MELTING DISTILLATION LAUNCHING STEAM GENERATION PROCESS HEAT REACTORS BWR TYPE REACTORS 2012 ftosti 2023-07-11T08:35:49Z This concept proposes to use thermal processes alone to extract water from the lunar South Pole and launch payloads to low lunar orbit. Thermal steam rockets would use water propellant for space transportation. The estimated mass of a space water tanker powered by a nuclear heated steam rocket suggests it can be designed for launch in the Space Shuttle bay. The performance depends on the feasibility of a nuclear reactor rocket engine producing steam at 1,100 degrees Kelvin, with a power density of 150 Megawatts per ton of rocket, and operating for thousands of 20 minute cycles. An example uses reject heat from a small nuclear electric power supply to melt 17,800 tons per year of lunar ice. A nuclear heated steam rocket would use the propellant water to launch and deliver 3,800 tons of water per year to a 100 km low lunar orbit. Other/Unknown Material South pole SciTec Connect (Office of Scientific and Technical Information - OSTI, U.S. Department of Energy) South Pole |
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SciTec Connect (Office of Scientific and Technical Information - OSTI, U.S. Department of Energy) |
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ftosti |
language |
unknown |
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21 NUCLEAR POWER REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS SPACE PROPULSION REACTORS MOON ICE MELTING DISTILLATION LAUNCHING STEAM GENERATION PROCESS HEAT REACTORS BWR TYPE REACTORS |
spellingShingle |
21 NUCLEAR POWER REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS SPACE PROPULSION REACTORS MOON ICE MELTING DISTILLATION LAUNCHING STEAM GENERATION PROCESS HEAT REACTORS BWR TYPE REACTORS Zuppero, A. | Zupp, G. Schnitzler, B. Larson, T.K. Rice, J.W. Lunar South Pole space water extraction and trucking system |
topic_facet |
21 NUCLEAR POWER REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS SPACE PROPULSION REACTORS MOON ICE MELTING DISTILLATION LAUNCHING STEAM GENERATION PROCESS HEAT REACTORS BWR TYPE REACTORS |
description |
This concept proposes to use thermal processes alone to extract water from the lunar South Pole and launch payloads to low lunar orbit. Thermal steam rockets would use water propellant for space transportation. The estimated mass of a space water tanker powered by a nuclear heated steam rocket suggests it can be designed for launch in the Space Shuttle bay. The performance depends on the feasibility of a nuclear reactor rocket engine producing steam at 1,100 degrees Kelvin, with a power density of 150 Megawatts per ton of rocket, and operating for thousands of 20 minute cycles. An example uses reject heat from a small nuclear electric power supply to melt 17,800 tons per year of lunar ice. A nuclear heated steam rocket would use the propellant water to launch and deliver 3,800 tons of water per year to a 100 km low lunar orbit. |
author |
Zuppero, A. | Zupp, G. Schnitzler, B. Larson, T.K. Rice, J.W. |
author_facet |
Zuppero, A. | Zupp, G. Schnitzler, B. Larson, T.K. Rice, J.W. |
author_sort |
Zuppero, A. | |
title |
Lunar South Pole space water extraction and trucking system |
title_short |
Lunar South Pole space water extraction and trucking system |
title_full |
Lunar South Pole space water extraction and trucking system |
title_fullStr |
Lunar South Pole space water extraction and trucking system |
title_full_unstemmed |
Lunar South Pole space water extraction and trucking system |
title_sort |
lunar south pole space water extraction and trucking system |
publishDate |
2012 |
url |
http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/658152 https://www.osti.gov/biblio/658152 |
geographic |
South Pole |
geographic_facet |
South Pole |
genre |
South pole |
genre_facet |
South pole |
op_relation |
http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/658152 https://www.osti.gov/biblio/658152 |
_version_ |
1772819806858248192 |