Conference proceeding
Innovative Interstellar Explorer: Radioisotope Propulsion to the Interstellar Medium
41st AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference & Exhibit; Tucson, AZ; USA; 10-13 July 2005, pp.1-14
41st AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference & Exhibit (Tucson, Arizona, 07/10/2005 - 07/13/2005)
07/10/2005
DOI: 10.2514/6.2005-4272
Abstract
An interstellar "precursor" mission has been under discussion in the scientific community for over 25 years. Fundamental scientific questions about the interaction of the Sun with the interstellar medium can only be answered with in situ measurements that such a mission could provide. The Innovative Interstellar Explorer is a funded NASA Vision Mission Study that investigates the use of Radioisotope Electric Propulsion (REP) to enable such a mission. The problem is the development of a probe that can provide the required measurements and can reach a heliocentric distance of at least 200 astronomical units (AU) in a reasonable mission time. The required flyout speed in the direction of the inflowing interstellar medium is provided by a high-energy launch, followed by long-term, low-thrust, continuous acceleration. Trades from also using gravity assists have been studied along with trades between advanced Multi-mission radioisotope thermoelectric generators (MMRTGs) and Stirling radioisotope generators (SRGs), both powered by Pu-238. While subject to mass and power limitations for the instruments on board, such an approach relies on known General Purpose Heat Source (GPHS), Pu-238 technology and current launch vehicles for
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Innovative Interstellar Explorer: Radioisotope Propulsion to the Interstellar Medium
- Creators
- Ralph McNutt JrJames LearyRobert GoldStamatios KrimigisEdmond RoelofMike GruntmanGeorge GloecklerPatrick KoehnWilliam KurthSteven OlesonDouglas Fiehler
- Resource Type
- Conference proceeding
- Publication Details
- 41st AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference & Exhibit; Tucson, AZ; USA; 10-13 July 2005, pp.1-14
- Conference
- 41st AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference & Exhibit (Tucson, Arizona, 07/10/2005 - 07/13/2005)
- DOI
- 10.2514/6.2005-4272
- ISSN
- 0146-3705
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 07/10/2005
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9984455754902771
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