Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

Makhnos_Tachanka t1_j24trec wrote

Reply to comment by HeebieMcJeeberson in What if we kept pursuing nuclear spacecraft propulsion? by rosTopicEchoChamber

Oh that's nothing. A dusty plasma fission fragment rocket can deliver an ISP of 1-2 million seconds, using technology with already high TRLs.

2

HeebieMcJeeberson t1_j25z74f wrote

Thanks, this is yet another design I hadn't heard of. Here's a PDF describing it in detail. The "dusty plasma" engine does have the drawback of being unable to land due to spewing highly radioactive rocket exhaust. So for missions that involve landing it would have to carry a conventional lander with it, or an unmanned one could be sent more slowly to rendezvous near the destination.

2