Title :
Possible uses of nuclear power in constellated low Earth orbiting space stations
Abstract :
A nuclear-reactor-powered, constellated, low-Earth-orbit (LEO), electrodynamically tethered space station scheme is discussed. The station aligns itself vertically and generates a large amount of electricity, the most important use of which is the production of prograde thrust that can raise the system´s altitude or balance lowering of altitude resulting from: (1) capturing lower altitude suborbital velocity rockets from Earth; (2) raising such captured lower altitude rockets to higher elevations by using nonconducting tethers; (3) releasing an upward tethered rocket drag; and (4) capturing crashloads from Earth
Keywords :
aerospace propulsion; artificial satellites; nuclear power; space vehicle power plants; aerospace propulsion; electricity; low Earth orbiting space stations; nuclear power; prograde thrust; rockets; space power; Fission reactors; Fuels; Inductors; Isotopes; Low earth orbit satellites; Neutrons; Nuclear power generation; Rockets; Satellite ground stations; Space stations;
Conference_Titel :
Energy Conversion Engineering Conference, 1989. IECEC-89., Proceedings of the 24th Intersociety
Conference_Location :
Washington, DC
DOI :
10.1109/IECEC.1989.74508