Title:
Nuclear Gas Turbine Propulsion System for Long Endurance Titan Exploration
Nuclear Gas Turbine Propulsion System for Long Endurance Titan Exploration
Authors
Colby, Luke S.
Prakash, Ravi
Braun, Robert D.
Prakash, Ravi
Braun, Robert D.
Advisors
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Abstract
An innovative propulsion system concept that enables powered flight on Saturn’s largest
moon, Titan, is discussed. This propulsion system concept uses waste heat from a NASA
Multi-Mission Radioisotopic Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) to power a gas turbine
engine. The propulsion system captures MMRTG waste heat by utilizing the in-situ
resources of Titan’s cold dense nitrogen atmosphere as a working fluid, passed through a
heat exchanger. The heated gas is then run through a turbine to extract electrical power
significantly greater than that available from the MMRTG’s thermoelectric effect. In
addition to analysis, an experimental system was constructed to validate the feasibility of the
proposed concept. This investigation compares the results obtained with this experimental
system to analytic predictions. Experimental system performance exceeding 500 watts of
measured power output was achieved. This propulsive performance enables consideration of
a robotic vertical takeoff and landing vehicle with an altitude ceiling of 15 km, range of 50
km, endurance of 3-4 months, payload capacity of 25 kg, and a gross mass of 400 kg as a
future Titan aerial platform.
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Date Issued
2005-07
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1344660 bytes
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Text
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Paper