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...
Main Authors: | , , , , |
---|---|
Other Authors: | |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory
1998
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc708048/ |
id |
ftunivnotexas:info:ark/67531/metadc708048 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftunivnotexas:info:ark/67531/metadc708048 2023-05-15T18:22:00+02:00 Lunar South Pole space water extraction and trucking system Zuppero, A. Zupp, G. Schnitzler, B. Larson, T. K. Rice, J. W. United States. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy. 1998-03-01 12 p. Text https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc708048/ English eng Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory other: DE98052246 rep-no: INEEL/CON--98-00163 rep-no: CONF-980411-- grantno: AC07-94ID13223 osti: 658152 https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc708048/ ark: ark:/67531/metadc708048 Space `98 and robotics `98 - engineering, construction, and operations in space, Albuquerque, NM (United States), 26 Apr 1998 21 Nuclear Power Reactors And Associated Plants Nesdps Office Of Nuclear Energy Space And Defense Power Systems Space Propulsion Reactors Ice Distillation Melting Process Heat Reactors Moon Bwr Type Reactors Nesdps Office Of Nuclear Energy Space And Defense Power Systems Steam Generation Launching Article 1998 ftunivnotexas 2021-08-28T22:08:02Z 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. Article in Journal/Newspaper South pole University of North Texas: UNT Digital Library South Pole |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of North Texas: UNT Digital Library |
op_collection_id |
ftunivnotexas |
language |
English |
topic |
21 Nuclear Power Reactors And Associated Plants Nesdps Office Of Nuclear Energy Space And Defense Power Systems Space Propulsion Reactors Ice Distillation Melting Process Heat Reactors Moon Bwr Type Reactors Nesdps Office Of Nuclear Energy Space And Defense Power Systems Steam Generation Launching |
spellingShingle |
21 Nuclear Power Reactors And Associated Plants Nesdps Office Of Nuclear Energy Space And Defense Power Systems Space Propulsion Reactors Ice Distillation Melting Process Heat Reactors Moon Bwr Type Reactors Nesdps Office Of Nuclear Energy Space And Defense Power Systems Steam Generation Launching 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 Nesdps Office Of Nuclear Energy Space And Defense Power Systems Space Propulsion Reactors Ice Distillation Melting Process Heat Reactors Moon Bwr Type Reactors Nesdps Office Of Nuclear Energy Space And Defense Power Systems Steam Generation Launching |
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. |
author2 |
United States. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
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 |
publisher |
Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory |
publishDate |
1998 |
url |
https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc708048/ |
geographic |
South Pole |
geographic_facet |
South Pole |
genre |
South pole |
genre_facet |
South pole |
op_source |
Space `98 and robotics `98 - engineering, construction, and operations in space, Albuquerque, NM (United States), 26 Apr 1998 |
op_relation |
other: DE98052246 rep-no: INEEL/CON--98-00163 rep-no: CONF-980411-- grantno: AC07-94ID13223 osti: 658152 https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc708048/ ark: ark:/67531/metadc708048 |
_version_ |
1766201350416236544 |