Fission Fragment Rocket Engine Thrust Velocity at 1.7% of light speed

Proposal for a Concept Assessment of a Fission Fragment Rocket Engine (FFRE) Propelled Spacecraft (15 page presentation from the NASA NIAC Spring Symposium

Can Free Spacecraft From Today’s Propulsion Limitations
• Far Less Propellant Than Chemical Or Nuclear Thermal
• Far More Efficient Than Nuclear Electric
• Far Safer: Charge Reactor In Space, Radioactivity Ejected

Has Highest Exhaust Velocity Possible Today
• 10s To 100’s Lbs Of Continuous Thrust (Years)
• Specific Impulse Above 500,000sec

Attributes
• Faster Travel
• More Payload
• Nearly Unlimited Electrical Power
• Greater Human Safety (Mission Travel, Maintenance)
• No Need For Vast Propellant Supply

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