Nuclear Powered Spacecraft: The Final Frontier's Next Frontier

[Vmedvil2]

It seems that nuclear powered spacecraft are almost ready for usage on spacecraft and are being deemed the next frontier in space travel, read more at https://www.geekwire.com/2021/space-nuclear-power-nearing-critical-mass-final-frontiers-next-frontier/

[darkmatter42]

I am NOT a rocket scientist, or any other scientist (yet), but wouldn't an ion drive be more efficient and less dangerous? 

[Vmedvil2]

1 hour ago, darkmatter42 said:

I am NOT a rocket scientist, or any other scientist (yet), but wouldn't an ion drive be more efficient and less dangerous? 

Even if you had a ion drive you would still need a power source for the ion drive, nuclear is just the power source of the spacecraft.

"Ion thrusters in operational use typically consume 1–7 kW of power"

Edited August 19, 2021 by VictorMedvil

[darkmatter42]

That makes sense. But Nuclear propelled spacecraft are different from Ion-propelled spacecraft, even if they can use the same power source.

[darkmatter42]

I'm thinking of the best to be used on like a generation ship meant to travel to the stars.

[darkmatter42]

Maybe both? Each can be used for a certain purpose. Nuclear for the most part and Ion for use near a planet.

[darkmatter42]

Ooooooh.... difficult but plausible! I never really got into how those work. Can you explain? 

[darkmatter42]

I'm 14, so I am definitely not as knowledgeable as everyone else on this site. 

[darkmatter42]

I looked it up. Antimatter propulsion, according to Ryan Weed, could go up to 72 million mph

[darkmatter42]

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/ryan-weed-wired-2015

[Vmedvil2]

5 hours ago, darkmatter42 said:

I looked it up. Antimatter propulsion, according to Ryan Weed, could go up to 72 million mph

The only problem with Antimatter powered spacecraft is mass production of antimatter is basically impossible at this time. Fusion/Fission, nuclear reactions are still our best bet as a energy source for the time being. Humans are still rather limited in the way of technology and what we can actually put into practice, antimatter is just not viable at the current time due to production limitations, Fermilab and CERN have only created nanograms of antimatter. The best emitter of anti-particles we have is a synthetic isotope called sodium 22 which regularly released positrons in beta positive decay which is generally used in the creation of positrons for anti-hydrogen production, but the anti-protons are created from energy(https://home.cern/news/press-release/cern/first-atoms-antimatter-produced-cern).

Edited August 23, 2021 by VictorMedvil