TY - GEN
T1 - Fusion-enabled pluto orbiter and lander
AU - Thomas, Stephanie J.
AU - Paluszek, Michael A.
AU - Cohen, Samuel A.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc, AIAA. All rights reserved.
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - In this paper we present the results of our NIAC Phase I Study on a Fusion-Enabled Pluto Orbiter and Lander. The enabling technology, Direct Fusion Drive, is a unique fusion engine concept based on the Princeton Field-Reversed Configuration (PFRC) fusion reactor under development at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. The truly game-changing levels of thrust and power in a modestly sized package could integrate with our current launch infrastructure while radically expanding the science capability of these missions. NIAC grants require that a technology be studied in the context of a specific mission. Our mission context is the delivery of a Pluto orbiter with a lander, which cannot be done with any other technology. Direct Fusion Drive (DFD) provides moderate thrust to allow for reasonable transit times to Pluto while delivering substantial mass to orbit: 1000 kg delivered in four years using 5 N constant thrust. Since DFD provides power as well as propulsion in one integrated device,1 it will also provide as much as 1 MW of useful electrical power to the payloads upon arrival. This enables high-bandwidth optical communication, powering of the lander from orbit, and radically expanded options for instrument design.
AB - In this paper we present the results of our NIAC Phase I Study on a Fusion-Enabled Pluto Orbiter and Lander. The enabling technology, Direct Fusion Drive, is a unique fusion engine concept based on the Princeton Field-Reversed Configuration (PFRC) fusion reactor under development at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. The truly game-changing levels of thrust and power in a modestly sized package could integrate with our current launch infrastructure while radically expanding the science capability of these missions. NIAC grants require that a technology be studied in the context of a specific mission. Our mission context is the delivery of a Pluto orbiter with a lander, which cannot be done with any other technology. Direct Fusion Drive (DFD) provides moderate thrust to allow for reasonable transit times to Pluto while delivering substantial mass to orbit: 1000 kg delivered in four years using 5 N constant thrust. Since DFD provides power as well as propulsion in one integrated device,1 it will also provide as much as 1 MW of useful electrical power to the payloads upon arrival. This enables high-bandwidth optical communication, powering of the lander from orbit, and radically expanded options for instrument design.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85047008198&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85047008198&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2514/6.2017-5276
DO - 10.2514/6.2017-5276
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:85047008198
SN - 9781624104831
T3 - AIAA SPACE and Astronautics Forum and Exposition, SPACE 2017
BT - AIAA SPACE and Astronautics Forum and Exposition
PB - American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc, AIAA
T2 - AIAA Space and Astronautics Forum and Exposition, SPACE 2017
Y2 - 12 September 2017 through 14 September 2017
ER -