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Nuclear electric rocket
- A nuclear electric rocket (more properly nuclear electric propulsion) is a type of spacecraft propulsion system where thermal energy from a nuclear reactor is converted to electrical energy, which is used to drive an ion thruster or other electrical spacecraft propulsion technology.
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A nuclear electric rocket (more properly nuclear electric propulsion) is a type of spacecraft propulsion system where thermal energy from a nuclear reactor is converted to electrical energy, which is used to drive an ion thruster or other electrical spacecraft propulsion technology.
Feb 6, 2024 · Nuclear electric propulsion systems use propellants much more efficiently than chemical rockets but provide a low amount of thrust. They use a reactor to generate electricity that positively charges gas propellants and pushes the ions out through a thruster, which drives the spacecraft forward.
Feb 18, 2022 · Nuclear electric propulsion (NEP), on the other hand, is an option in which the thrust is provided by converting the thermal energy from a nuclear reactor into electrical energy, eliminating the associated NTP needs and limitations of storing propellants onboard.
Nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) is simply electric propulsion in which the electricity is derived from a nuclear reactor (as opposed to solar or chemical means). The thrusting fluid (gas, ion, plasma) receives its energy to accelerate from the application of electric fields, either direct heating the gas as in an arcjet, using an electric ...
Oct 22, 2020 · An electric propulsion system uses energy collected by either solar arrays (solar electric propulsion) or a nuclear reactor (nuclear electric propulsion) to generate thrust, eliminating many of the needs and limitations of storing propellants onboard.
Nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) systems convert heat from the fission reactor to electrical power, much like nuclear power plants on Earth. This electrical power is then used to produce thrust through the acceleration of an ionized propellant.
Nuclear propulsion includes a wide variety of propulsion methods that use some form of nuclear reaction as their primary power source. The idea of using nuclear material for propulsion dates back to the beginning of the 20th century.
