A proposed Russian-American NEPST program utilizing Russian launch and support systems

Abstract

This paper summarizes the research efforts on investigating the possibility of launching the Nuclear Electric Propulsion Space Test Program (NEPSTP) spacecraft, designed by the Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) of Johns Hopkins University, with the Russian ‘‘Proton’’ launch vehicle from the Baikonur launch site (Ponomarev‐Stepnoi 1994). The NEPSTP spacecraft is designed to demonstrate a payload transportation to GEO using the TOPAZ II space nuclear power system and nuclear electric propulsion of different types (including those developed in the US, Great Britain and Russia) capable of providing spacecraft injection to GEO.The spacecraft’s onboard instrumentation includes sensors to measure neutron and gamma radiation around the spacecraft, as well as positron fields surrounding the reactor, and neutral particles and the plasma resulting from operation of nuclear electric propulsion, powered by the nuclear power source. The analysis under study was prepared by the scientists from the Scientific Industrial Association (SIA) of ‘‘Machine Building,’’ RRC ‘‘Kurchatov Institute,’’ and the Central Design Bureau of Machine Building (CDBMB), on request and support of ‘‘INERTEK’’ Joint Stock Company.