Flexible piloted Mars missions using the TIHTUS engine |
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| Institution: | 1. Institut für Raumfahrtsysteme (IRS), Universität Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 31, D-70550 Stuttgart, Germany;2. German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Space Simulation, Linder Höhe, D-51147 Köln, Germany;1. School of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, North-West University, 53 Borcherd Street, Potchefstroom 2531, South Africa;2. Eskom, Pretoria, South Africa;1. Kinetics and Catalysis Research Group, SINTEF Materials and Chemistry, N-7465, Trondheim, Norway;2. Material Physics Research Group, SINTEF Materials and Chemistry, N-7465, Trondheim, Norway;3. New Energy Solutions Research group, SINTEF Materials and Chemistry, N-7465, Trondheim, Norway;1. China Huaneng Group Clean Energy Research Institute, Beijing, 100098, China;2. Centre for Innovation in Carbon Capture and Storage (CICCS), Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom;3. Centre for Innovation in Carbon Capture and Storage (CICCS),School of Engineering & Physical Sciences / Institute of Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, United Kingdom;4. China State Key Laboratory of Coal-Based Clean Energy, Beijing, 100098, China;1. School of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China;2. Beijing Institute of Spacecraft System Engineering, Beijing 100094, China |
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| Abstract: | The present investigation points out the potential of continuously propelled spacecraft for piloted Mars missions and compares them to impulsive propulsion (chemical and nuclear thermal) and ballistic trajectories. Although the results are related to piloted Mars missions, the stated issues raised hold true for a broad range of space missions. It is demonstrated that the use of impulsive propulsion leads to inflexible missions and may result in long total mission durations. Meanwhile, the use of continuous electric propulsion not only guarantees short total mission durations of Mars missions with moderate masses but also results in highly flexible missions. These criteria can be met with a continuous electric propulsion system that provides a thrust level of 100 N and 3000 s of specific impulse. Great potential lies in electric hybrid thrusters. The high-power, two-stage hybrid plasma thruster TIHTUS is currently being developed at the Institute of Space Systems (IRS). Its technology including preliminary laboratory testing results are presented. |
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