How does Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP) differ from NTP in terms of thrust and application?
Answer
NEP uses a reactor to generate electricity for high-efficiency ion thrusters, resulting in very high $I_{sp}$ but extremely low thrust, favoring long robotic voyages.
NEP systems generate electrical power to feed electric thrusters (like ion engines), which are highly fuel-efficient but produce very low thrust, making them ideal for slow acceleration over long durations for deep-space robotic probes, unlike NTP which provides high thrust.
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