The Case for Interstellar Space Probes
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The Space Launch System for Exploration and Science. K
45th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (2014) 2234.pdf THE SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM FOR EXPLORATION AND SCIENCE. K. Klaus1, M. S. Elsperman1, B. B. Donahue1, K. E. Post1, M. L. Raftery1, and D. B. Smith1, 1The Boeing Company, 13100 Space Center Blvd, Houston TX 77059, [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], mi- [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]. Introduction: The Space Launch System (SLS) is same time which will simplify mission design and re- the most powerful rocket ever built and provides a duce launch costs. One of the key features of the SLS critical heavy-lift launch capability enabling diverse in cislunar space is performance to provide “dual-use”, deep space missions. This exploration class vehicle i.e. Orion plus 15t of any other payload. launches larger payloads farther in our solar system An opportunity exists to deliver payload to the lu- and faster than ever before. Available fairing diameters nar surface or lunar orbit on the unmanned 2017 range from 5 m to 10 m; these allow utilization of ex- MPCV/ SLS test flight (~4.5t of mass margin exists for isting systems which reduces development risks, size this flight). Concepts of this nature can be done for limitations and cost. SLS injection capacity shortens less than Discovery class mission budgets (~$450M) mission travel time. Enhanced capabilities enable a and may be done as a joint venture by the NASA Sci- variety of missions including human exploration, plan- ence Mission Directorate and Human Exploration Op- etary science, astrophysics, heliophysics, planetary erations Mission Directorate using the successful Lu- defense, Earth observaton and commercial space en- nar Reconnaissance Orbiter as a program model. -
Breakthrough Propulsion Study Assessing Interstellar Flight Challenges and Prospects
Breakthrough Propulsion Study Assessing Interstellar Flight Challenges and Prospects NASA Grant No. NNX17AE81G First Year Report Prepared by: Marc G. Millis, Jeff Greason, Rhonda Stevenson Tau Zero Foundation Business Office: 1053 East Third Avenue Broomfield, CO 80020 Prepared for: NASA Headquarters, Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) and NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Washington, DC 20546 June 2018 Millis 2018 Grant NNX17AE81G_for_CR.docx pg 1 of 69 ABSTRACT Progress toward developing an evaluation process for interstellar propulsion and power options is described. The goal is to contrast the challenges, mission choices, and emerging prospects for propulsion and power, to identify which prospects might be more advantageous and under what circumstances, and to identify which technology details might have greater impacts. Unlike prior studies, the infrastructure expenses and prospects for breakthrough advances are included. This first year's focus is on determining the key questions to enable the analysis. Accordingly, a work breakdown structure to organize the information and associated list of variables is offered. A flow diagram of the basic analysis is presented, as well as more detailed methods to convert the performance measures of disparate propulsion methods into common measures of energy, mass, time, and power. Other methods for equitable comparisons include evaluating the prospects under the same assumptions of payload, mission trajectory, and available energy. Missions are divided into three eras of readiness (precursors, era of infrastructure, and era of breakthroughs) as a first step before proceeding to include comparisons of technology advancement rates. Final evaluation "figures of merit" are offered. Preliminary lists of mission architectures and propulsion prospects are provided. -
Solar System Exploration: a Vision for the Next Hundred Years
IAC-04-IAA.3.8.1.02 SOLAR SYSTEM EXPLORATION: A VISION FOR THE NEXT HUNDRED YEARS R. L. McNutt, Jr. Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory Laurel, Maryland, USA [email protected] ABSTRACT The current challenge of space travel is multi-tiered. It includes continuing the robotic assay of the solar system while pressing the human frontier beyond cislunar space, with Mars as an ob- vious destination. The primary challenge is propulsion. For human voyages beyond Mars (and perhaps to Mars), the refinement of nuclear fission as a power source and propulsive means will likely set the limits to optimal deep space propulsion for the foreseeable future. Costs, driven largely by access to space, continue to stall significant advances for both manned and unmanned missions. While there continues to be a hope that commercialization will lead to lower launch costs, the needed technology, initial capital investments, and markets have con- tinued to fail to materialize. Hence, initial development in deep space will likely remain govern- ment sponsored and driven by scientific goals linked to national prestige and perceived security issues. Against this backdrop, we consider linkage of scientific goals, current efforts, expecta- tions, current technical capabilities, and requirements for the detailed exploration of the solar system and consolidation of off-Earth outposts. Over the next century, distances of 50 AU could be reached by human crews but only if resources are brought to bear by international consortia. INTRODUCTION years hence, if that much3, usually – and rightly – that policy goals and technologies "Where there is no vision the people perish.” will change so radically on longer time scales – Proverbs, 29:181 that further extrapolation must be relegated to the realm of science fiction – or fantasy. -
Deuterium – Tritium Pulse Propulsion with Hydrogen As Propellant and the Entire Space-Craft As a Gigavolt Capacitor for Ignition
Deuterium – Tritium pulse propulsion with hydrogen as propellant and the entire space-craft as a gigavolt capacitor for ignition. By F. Winterberg University of Nevada, Reno Abstract A deuterium-tritium (DT) nuclear pulse propulsion concept for fast interplanetary transport is proposed utilizing almost all the energy for thrust and without the need for a large radiator: 1. By letting the thermonuclear micro-explosion take place in the center of a liquid hydrogen sphere with the radius of the sphere large enough to slow down and absorb the neutrons of the DT fusion reaction, heating the hydrogen to a fully ionized plasma at a temperature of ~ 105 K. 2. By using the entire spacecraft as a magnetically insulated gigavolt capacitor, igniting the DT micro-explosion with an intense GeV ion beam discharging the gigavolt capacitor, possible if the space craft has the topology of a torus. 1. Introduction The idea to use the 80% of the neutron energy released in the DT fusion reaction for nuclear micro-bomb rocket propulsion, by surrounding the micro-explosion with a thick layer of liquid hydrogen heated up to 105 K thereby becoming part of the exhaust, was first proposed by the author in 1971 [1]. Unlike the Orion pusher plate concept, the fire ball of the fully ionized hydrogen plasma can here be reflected by a magnetic mirror. The 80% of the energy released into 14MeV neutrons cannot be reflected by a magnetic mirror for thermonuclear micro-bomb propulsion. This was the reason why for the Project Daedalus interstellar probe study of the British Interplanetary Society [2], the neutron poor deuterium-helium 3 (DHe3) reaction was chosen. -
Planetary Science with an Interstellar Probe
EPSC Abstracts Vol. 13, EPSC-DPS2019-262-2, 2019 EPSC-DPS Joint Meeting 2019 c Author(s) 2019. CC Attribution 4.0 license. Planetary science with an Interstellar Probe Kathleen Mandt, Kirby Runyon, Ralph McNutt, Pontus Brandt, Michael Paul, and Abigail Rymer Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, USA, ([email protected]) Abstract a) The Heliosphere as a Habitable Astrosphere: Characterize the heliosphere and the The space science community has maintained an interstellar medium to understand other ongoing interest in exploration of interstellar space for astrospheres harboring potentially habitable several decades. In 2016, Congressional language stellar-exoplanetary environments. encouraged NASA to take the enabling steps for an b) Formation and Evolution of Planetary Interstellar scientific probe. In 2018, a study was Systems: Explore the properties of Dwarf initiated targeting 1000 AU within 50 years using Planets, KBO worlds, giant planets, and the current or near-term technology. The ultimate goal of large scale structure of the circum-solar debris this study is to define a mission that would be feasible disk. to launch in the 2030’s, enabling humanity to take the c) Early Evolution of Galaxies: Uncover the first explicit step in to interstellar space scientifically, diffuse extragalactic background light. technically and programmatically. Although the d) Exoplanet Context: Explore the worlds of our primary goal of an Interstellar Probe would be to solar system as exoplanets. understand the heliosphere and the very local interstellar medium (VLISM), a probe designed to exit the solar system and explore interstellar space 1.1 Kuiper Belt Objectives provides a prime opportunity for planetary science. -
Interstellar Travel Or Even 1.3 Mlbs at Launch
Terraforming Mars: By Aliens? Astronomy 330 •! Sometime movies are full of errors. •! But what can you do? Music: Rocket Man– Elton John Online ICES Question •! ICES forms are available online, so far 39/100 Are you going to fill out an ICES form before the students have completed it. deadline? •! I appreciate you filling them out! •! Please make sure to leave written comments. I a)! Yes, I did it already. find these comments the most useful, and typically b)! Yes, sometime today that’s where I make the most changes to the c)! Yes, this weekend course. d)! Yes, I promise to do it before the deadline of May6th! e)! No, I am way too lazy to spend 5 mins to help you or future students out. Final Final •! In this classroom, Fri, May 7th, 0800-1100. •! A normal-sized sheet of paper with notes on both •! Will consist of sides is allowed. –! 15 question on Exam 1 material. •! Exam 1and 2 and last year’s final are posted on –! 15 question on Exam 2 material. class website (not Compass). –! 30 questions from new material (Lect 20+). –! +4 extra credit questions •! I will post a review sheet Friday. •! A total of 105 points, i.e. 5 points of extra credit. •! Final Exam grade is based on all three sections. •! If Section 1/2 grade is higher than Exam 1/2 grade, then it will replace your Exam 1/2 grade. Final Papers Outline •! Final papers due at BEGINNING of discussion •! Rockets: how to get the most bang for the buck. -
The Challenge of Interstellar Travel the Challenge of Interstellar Travel
The challenge of interstellar travel The challenge of interstellar travel ! Interstellar travel - travel between star systems - presents one overarching challenge: ! The distances between stars are enormous compared with the distances which our current spacecraft have travelled ! Voyager I is the most distant spacecraft, and is just over 100 AU from the Earth ! The closest star system (Alpha Centauri) is 270,000 AU away! ! Also, the speed of light imposes a strict upper limit to how fast a spacecraft can travel (300,000 km/s) ! in reality, only light can travel this fast How long does it take to travel to Alpha Centauri? Propulsion Ion drive Chemical rockets Chemical Nuclear drive Solar sail F = ma ! Newton’s third law. ! Force = mass x acceleration. ! You bring the mass, your engine provides the force, acceleration is the result The constant acceleration case - plus its problems ! Let’s take the case of Alpha Centauri. ! You are provided with an ion thruster. ! You are told that it provides a constant 1g of acceleration. ! Therefore, you keep accelerating until you reach the half way point before reversing the engine and decelerating the rest of the way - coming to a stop at Alpha Cen. ! Sounds easy? Relativity and nature’s speed limit ! What does it take to maintain 1g of accelaration? ! At low velocities compared to light to accelerate a 1000kg spacecraft at 1g (10ms-2) requires 10,000 N of force. ! However, as the velocity of the spacecraft approaches the velocity of light relativity starts to kick in. ! The relativistic mass can be written as γ x mass, where γ is the relativistic Lorentz factor. -
Unique Heliophysics Science Opportunities Along the Interstellar Probe Journey up to 1000 AU from the Sun
EGU21-10504, updated on 02 Oct 2021 https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu21-10504 EGU General Assembly 2021 © Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Unique heliophysics science opportunities along the Interstellar Probe journey up to 1000 AU from the Sun Elena Provornikova1, Pontus C. Brandt1, Ralph L. McNutt, Jr.1, Robert DeMajistre1, Edmond C. Roelof1, Parisa Mostafavi1, Drew Turner1, Matthew E. Hill1, Jeffrey L. Linsky2, Seth Redfield3, Andre Galli4, Carey Lisse1, Kathleen Mandt1, Abigail Rymer1, and Kirby Runyon1 1Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, USA 2JILA, University of Colorado and NIST, Boulder, CO, USA 3Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, USA 4University of Bern, Bern, 3012, Switzerland The Interstellar Probe is a space mission to discover physical interactions shaping globally the boundary of our Sun`s heliosphere and its dynamics and for the first time directly sample the properties of the local interstellar medium (LISM). Interstellar Probe will go through the boundary of the heliosphere to the LISM enabling for the first time to explore the boundary with a dedicated instrumentation, to take the image of the global heliosphere by looking back and explore in-situ the unknown LISM. The pragmatic concept study of such mission with a lifetime 50 years that can be implemented by 2030 was funded by NASA and has been led by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). The study brought together a diverse community of more than 400 scientists and engineers spanning a wide range of science disciplines across the world. Compelling science questions for the Interstellar Probe mission have been with us for many decades. -
Interstellar Spaceflight
SPACEFLIGHT TOMORROW Interstellar Can We Travel to Other Stars? Small self-replicating probes could be launched on interstellar journeys. Creating a galactic Internet may yield even greater benefits by Timothy Ferris iving as we do in technologically triumphant times, we are inclined to NEAREST STARS to the solar system view interstellar spaceflight as a technical challenge, like breaking the are depicted in this view of the Milky Way galaxy as seen from 500 light- Lsound barrier or climbing Mount Everest—something that will no years above the galactic plane. The doubt be difficult but feasible, given the right resources and resourcefulness. green lines between the stars (inset) represent high-bandwidth radio This view has much to recommend it. Unmanned interstellar travel has, in a sense, beams in a hypothetical communi- already been achieved, by the Pioneer 10 and 11 and Voyager 1 and 2 probes, which cations network linking alien civiliza- were accelerated by their close encounters with Jupiter to speeds in excess of the sun’s tions. Such an interstellar network escape velocity and are outward-bound forever. By interstellar standards, these space- would allow intelligent species to craft are slow: Voyager 1, the speediest of the four at 62,000 kilometers per hour share knowledge without incurring (39,000 miles per hour), will wander for several tens of thousands of years before it the tremendous expense of traveling encounters another star. But the Wright brothers’ first airplane wasn’t particularly to other stars. speedy either. A manned interstellar spacecraft that improved on Voyager’s velocity by the same 1,000-fold increment by which Voyager improved on the Kitty Hawk flights could reach nearby stars in a matter of decades, if a way could be found to pay its exorbitant fuel bill. -
Interstellar Probe to Explore the Sun's Influences Propagating Beyond The
Interstellar Probe to Explore the Sun’s Influences Propagating Beyond the Heliosphere Parisa Mostafavi�, G. P. Zank�, D. J. McComas�, L. Burgala4, J. Richardson5, G. Webb2, E. Provornikova1, P. Brandt1 1. Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab, 2. University of Alabama in Huntsville, 3. Princeton University, 4. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, 5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Introduction The heliosphere is controlled by the motion of the Sun through the interstellar space. Although humankind has explored the region of space about the Earth quite extensively, the distant heliosphere beyond the planets remains almost entirely unexplored with only the two Voyager spacecraft, New Horizons, and the early Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecraft returning the in-situ observations of this most distant region. Moreover, remote observations of energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) from the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) at 1 au and Cassini/INCA at 10 au revealed interesting structure related to the interstellar medium. Voyager 1 and 2 crossed the heliopause in 2012 and 2018, respectively, and are both continue to make in-situ measurements of the very local interstellar medium (VLISM; the nearby region of the LISM affected by physical processes associated with the heliosphere) for the first time. Voyager 1 and 2 have identified and partially answered many interesting questions about the outer heliosphere and the VLISM while raising numerous new questions, many of which have profound implications for the detailed structure and properties of the heliosphere and our place in the galaxy. One particularly interesting topic is the influence of the large-scale disturbances and small-scale turbulences generated by the dynamical Sun on the VLISM. -
Interstellar Travel and the Mission for Outer Space: a Human Rights Perspective
Science and Technology Law Review Volume 18 Number 3 Article 2 2015 Interstellar Travel and the Mission for Outer Space: A Human Rights Perspective Roy Balleste Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.smu.edu/scitech Recommended Citation Roy Balleste, Interstellar Travel and the Mission for Outer Space: A Human Rights Perspective, 18 SMU SCI. & TECH. L. REV. 219 (2015) https://scholar.smu.edu/scitech/vol18/iss3/2 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Law Journals at SMU Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Science and Technology Law Review by an authorized administrator of SMU Scholar. For more information, please visit http://digitalrepository.smu.edu. Interstellar Travel and the Mission for Outer Space: A Human Rights Perspective Roy Balleste, J.S.D.* "Do not go gentle into that good night; Old age should burn and rave at close of day. Rage, rage against the dying of the light." -Dylan Thomas, I. INTO THE UNKNOWN Imagine the long night of outer space. It is a total mystery. We really do not know enough about our universe. We know that this limitless expanse is more than an empty vacuum. 2 Cosmology notes that outer space contains an undetectable all-encompassing array, known as dark matter, which binds it together.3 This dark matter may prompt the gravitational effects that we de- tect from observable matter, such as stars and galaxies.4 For this reason, com- monly known planetary bodies represent only a small percentage of the entire Universe. Some believe that outer space houses a great deal of dark matter.5 While the cosmos may be known as a void, this seemingly empty environ- ment contains gas and dust, along with more recognizable bodies; such as planets, moons, and asteroid belts.6 The delimitation of outer space begins * Dr. -
Introduction
SPACEPORT OPERATIONS FOR DEEP SPACE MISSIONS Alan C. Holt NASA Space Station Freedom Program Office Reston, Virginia Space Station Fmedom is designed with the capability to cost-effectively evolve into a transportation node which can support manned lunar and Mars missions. To extend a permanent human presence to the outer planets (moon outposts) and to nearby star systems, additional orbiting space infrastructure and great advances in propulsion systems and other technology will be required To identify primaq operations and management requirements for these deep space missions, an interstellar design concept was developed and analyzed. The assembly, test, servic- ing, logistics resupply and increment management techniques anticipated for lunar and Mars missions appear to provide a pattern which can be extended in an analogous manner to deep space missions. A long range, space infrastructure development plan (encompassing deep space missions) coupled with energetic, breakthrough level propulsion research should be initiated now to assist us in making the best budget and schedule decisions. INTRODUCTION Sometime during the next 50 years, interplanetary flights between Space Station Freedom (Spaceport Earth) and Mars Outpost 1will be established on a continuous and permanent basis. Manned exploration missions to the outer planets and moons will have been planned and initiated. Systems required for advanced space transportation and associated infrastructure will be researched, tested, checked out and serviced at or near Freedom. The implem- entation of the Space Exploration Initiative and associated U.S. space policy will require that a long range, propul- sion R. & D. plan be initiated to provide assured interplanetary space transportation. Once we establish a permanent outpost or colony on Mars, our commitment to energetic, long-range technology R.