FEASIBILITY STUDY OF A CONTAINED PULSED NUCLEAR PROPULSION ENGINE

The result of a feasibility analysis of a contained pulsed nuclear pro pulsion (CPNP) engine concept utilizing the enormously dense energy ge nerated by small nuclear detonations is presented in this article. Thi s concept was initially proposed and studied in the 1950s and 1960s un der the program name HELIOS. The current feasibility of the concept is based upon material technology that has advanced to a state that allo ws the design of pressure vessels required to contain the blast associ ated with small nuclear detonations. The impulsive nature of the energ y source provides the means for circumventing the material thermal bar riers that are inherent in steady-state nuclear propulsion concepts. T he rapid energy transfer to the propellant results in high thrust leve ls for times less than 1 s following the detonation. The preliminary f easibility analysis using off-the-shelf material technology appears to indicate that the CPNP concept can have thrust-to-weight ratios on th e order of 1 or greater. Though the specific impulse is not a good ind icator for impulsive engines, an operating-cycle-averaged specific imp ulse of approximately 1000 or greater seconds has been calculated.