Meeting the need of In-Space Propulsion using a Fission Fragment Reactor Concept; an Introduction

Chemical rockets have been an integral part of the space industry; however, they are not very efficient for in-space human missions. Unlike the Apollo lunar missions, the distance to Mars and other planetary bodies within our solar system is much greater. Human missions to these planetary bodies, inclusive of Mars, require propulsion systems capable of reducing the round trip time, making the time away from Earth as short as possible. This requirement is essential to ensure the safety of a human crew, both physically and psychologically. Nuclear powered spacecrafts can make these missions a reality. Current technology can support fission reactors in space. Fission reactions are the only practical reactions that can deliver the quantity of energy required per unit mass. This quantity of energy is required to provide the increase in the range of specific impulse and thrust, making human missions possible. Fission reactors provide the safest means to open up the solar system to human exploration. While a lot of research and development has been done on solid core nuclear reactors very little has been done other reactor design concepts. This paper looks at one of those concepts, fission fragment, which has the potential to safely out perform solid core reactors.