Fission or fusion for Mars missions: Expectations and challenges

Abstract

A fission based system in the form of the Gas Core Nuclear Rocket (GCR) and a laser-driven inertial fusion system that utilizes a self-generated magnetic field (MICF) are compared as potential propulsion systems for manned planetary travel. The first generates thrust by a hydrogen propellant that is heated by radiation emitted from a critical reactor with a uranium fuel in plasma form, to take advantage of high achievable temperatures. The fusion system produces attractive propulsion characteristics through energy magnification of a hot hydrogenous plasma which is guided by a magnetic nozzle that allows thermal energy to be converted into thrust. Although both systems are capable of producing several thousand seconds of specific impulse, and tens to hundreds of kilonewtons of thrust, each faces some formidable physics and engineering problems that must be addressed if they are to become viable propulsion systems. With the aid of an appropriate set of fluid and plasma equations, we assess the dynamics of each system and identify those issues that could detract from their performance. In the case of GCR, thermal hydraulic considerations reveal deterioration of propulsive capability when wall heat flux limitations and turbulent mixing are taken into account. Moreover, hydrodynamics and acoustic instabilities could also adversely affect its performance, although they may be amenable to stabilization by magnetic fields. For MICF, large energy multiplication at modest input laser energies appears to be a major concern, but if anti-hydrogen can be used to initiate the fusion reactions, this concept can be truly an outstanding propulsion device.