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Wikipedia says this Mars trip would require a 200MW power source. That alone sounds way more impressive and difficult than any engine could be on its own. It’
by idontwantthis 4y ago
Wikipedia says this Mars trip would require a 200MW power source.
That alone sounds way more impressive and difficult than any engine could be on its own.
It’s like making an electric golf cart break the sound barrier. Yeah you did something amazing but maybe that mini nuclear reactor you invented along the way is a bigger deal.
- ivanche 4y ago200 milliwatts doesn't sound like much.
- idontwantthis 4y agoHooray
- dron57 4y agoLowercase m - milli. Uppercase M - mega.
- ivanche 4y agoI know :) OP edited their comment afterwards.
- stevep98 4y agoThe smaller nuclear reactors used on submarines and aircraft carriers would be of the appropriate size, but they generate electricity using steam turbines. I don't think that would be workable in space. You'd need massive radiators to radiate away a lot of that heat to recondense the steam. If you're generating that much heat, then you're probably better off using the nuclear reactor to directly heat the propellant. Joe Scott has a new video up about Nuclear propulsion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5UU0GA5GAU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5UU0GA5GAU