What advantage does Space Nuclear Propulsion offer for deep-space human travel?
Answer
It uses a nuclear reactor to superheat propellant, resulting in much higher exhaust efficiency (specific impulse).
NASA is developing Space Nuclear Propulsion to drastically reduce the transit times for missions traveling to Mars and beyond, a major hurdle in human deep-space exploration. The mechanism involves utilizing an onboard nuclear reactor to generate intense heat, which is then applied to the stored propellant, thereby superheating it. Ejecting this superheated propellant results in an exhaust stream with a significantly higher specific impulse (a measure of rocket engine efficiency) compared to traditional chemical propulsion methods, allowing the spacecraft to achieve greater velocity changes with less propellant mass.
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