Power Management and Distribution System Trades for an NEP-Based Human Mars Mission

Abstract

With the resurgence of using Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP) for human Mars exploration missions, particularly opposition class missions, Aerojet Rocketdyne (AR) has begun to evaluate Mars Transfer Vehicles (MTVs) that use a hybrid NEP and chemical propulsion approach. These NEP/Chem MTVs are advantageous due to the combination of high-Isp/low-thrust and low-Isp/high-thrust propulsion systems, using each system where most applicable. In additional to evaluating NEP/Chem vehicle concepts at a Mars architecture level, AR has been working to develop nuclear primary system parametric models to estimate system mass against different technologies and approaches. This paper focuses on the development and implementation of a Power Management and Distribution (PMAD) model for a high-power NEP system. A PMAD modeling framework developed by AR and NASA was used to construct a point-of-departure (POD) configuration. The goal of this modeling effort was to produce a ballpark mass estimate for the PMAD POD configuration and to generate PMAD mass sensitivities to key design inputs to be integrated with the NEP/Chem vehicle sizing model. Parameters traded include main transmission line length, EP thruster input voltage, and number of EP thrusters.