Use of Lunar Volatiles in Chemical and Nuclear-Thermal Rockets

Table of Contents

Chemical Rockets Are Well Developed

Nuclear Rockets Were Developed to a High State of Readiness in the 1960's

Chemical and Fission-Thermal Rockets Will Probably Remain Necessary for Planetary Launch

Lunar Volatiles Provide Many Raw Materials for Rocket Fuel

Example Chemical Rocket Fuels Available on the Moon

Example Lunar Mission Profiles

Approximate delta-v's in Earth-Mars Space

Approximate delta-v's in Earth-Mars Space

Key Thermal-Rocket Equations

The Rocket Equation Can Be Used to Find Propellant-to-Payload Mass Ratios

Delta-v Requirements (km/s) for Selected Missions and Launch Locations

Propellant Requirements for a LH2/LOX Chemical Rocket with 100-Mg of Payload and Structure

Propellant Requirements for a Nuclear Thermal Rocket with 100-Mg of Payload and Structure

Summary

Email: santarius@engr.wisc.edu 

Home Page: http://rigel.neep.wisc.edu/~jfs/homepage.html 

Other information: 
Dr. John F Santarius, Fusion Technology Institute, University of Wisconsin, 1500 Engineering Drive, Madison, WI 53706 USA 

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