NASA has allocated funding to develop the idea of using a nuclear propulsion system to transport humans to Mars in just 45 days, compared to the current timeframe of 6 to 9 months.
NASA’s nuclear rocket simulation. (Photo: NASA)
The concept of the Nuclear Thermal Propulsion and Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NTP/NEP) system is a new class of nuclear propulsion that employs a wave rotor cycle, according to NASA. Professor Ryan Gosse from the University of Florida, the scientist behind this proposal, stated that this design could reduce the flight time to Mars to 45 days. If the technology performs as expected, it would significantly shorten travel times, making missions to the Red Planet safer for humans. This is one of 14 proposals selected by NASA’s Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program for Phase I development, receiving $12,500 in funding for research and development.
The Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) system uses a nuclear reactor to heat liquid hydrogen propellant, converting it into plasma and directing it through a nozzle to produce thrust. Meanwhile, the Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP) system uses a nuclear reactor to provide thrust through Hall effect (ion engine) electric propulsion. This process generates an ionized electromagnetic field and accelerates inert gas to create thrust.
Gosse combines the advantages of both NTP and NEP with a new idea. He introduced a dual-module design based on the hard-core NERVA reactor, which provides a long pulse of 900 seconds, doubling the efficiency of current chemical rockets. Gosse also proposed using wave rotors (WR) to compress the reaction mass under the pressure generated by the heat of the liquid hydrogen in the reactor. According to him, this method could provide thrust equivalent to NTP with a long pulse of 1,400 to 2,000 seconds. Combined with the NEP cycle, it would produce even higher thrust.
Using current technology, a crewed flight to Mars could last 6 to 9 months. Therefore, reducing the travel time to 45 days means that Mars missions could be completed in just a few months rather than years. This is crucial as astronauts would be exposed to high levels of radiation that could be fatal during extended missions. Additionally, the effects of microgravity on humans over such long periods can negatively impact health, prompting researchers to seek ways to shorten the duration of missions to the Red Planet.
