ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGIES TODAY TO 2020 (Progress in Astronautics and Aeronautics) (Progress in Astronautics & Aeronautics, 223)

"Commissioned by the European Space Agency, this book details specific propulsion technologies as envisioned by 2020. Each technology has been considered in terms of concept, associated key technologies, development status and proposed roadmaps. The reader is led through all the steps that propulsion will likely take between now and the 2020s in a clear, concise, and detailed way, including market and feasibility perspectives when applicable. The 16 chapters follow a developmental logic. The material starts with the future of SRM, grounded on R&D done at present, goes through the development of LOX/HC liquid rocket engines, a technology based on U.S. and Russian work of the 60s and 70s. It then looks into future technologies, and systems just beginning to make their impact felt now, such as superconductivity applied to electric propulsion, MW-class ion engines (perhaps utilizing a nuclear power source), solar sails, laser propulsion, nuclear propulsion (such as the promising VASIMR), and ISRU."

Commissioned by the European Space Agency, this book details specific propulsion technologies as envisioned by 2020. Each technology has been considered in terms of concept, associated key technologies, development status, and proposed roadmaps. The reader is led through all the steps that propulsion will likely climb between now and the 2020s in a clear, concise, and detailed way, including market and feasibility perspectives when applicable.

The 17 chapters are organized in such a way as to follow a developmental logic. The material starts with the future of SRM, grounded on R&D done at present, and goes through the development of LOX/HC liquid rocket engines, a technology based on the U.S. and Russian work of the 60s and 70s. It then looks into future technologies and systems just beginning to make their impact felt now, such as superconductivity applied to electric propulsion, MW-class ion engines (perhaps utilizing a nuclear power source), solar sails, laser propulsion, nuclear propulsion (such as the promising VASIMR), and ISRU.

Commissioned by the European Space Agency, this book details specific propulsion technologies as envisioned by 2020. Each technology has been considered in terms of concept, associated key technologies, development status and proposed roadmaps. The reader is led through all the steps that propulsion will likely take between now and the 2020s in a clear, concise, and detailed way, including market and feasibility perspectives when applicable. The 17 chapters follow a developmental logic. The material starts with the future of SRM, grounded on R & D done at present, goes through the development of LOX/HC liquid rocket engines, a technology based on U.S. and Russian work of the 60s and 70s. It then looks into future technologies, and systems just beginning to make their impact felt now, such as superconductivity applied to electric propulsion, MW-class ion engines (perhaps utilizing a nuclear power source), solar sails, laser propulsion, nuclear propulsion (such as the promising VASIMR), and ISRU Introduction Advanced solid rocket motors Advanced cryogenic engines Advanced LOX-HC engines for boosters and upper stages LOX-hydrocarbon engines in Russia Green propellants Green propellants in Russia Miniaturized propulsion Solar thermal propulsion for upper stages Electric-propulsion systems Superconductivity The case for nuclear propulsion : the Rubbia's engine VASIMR prefeasibility analysis Laser propulsion systems Mass accelerators : Maglev and Railguns Solar sails : propellantless propulsion for near- and medium-term deep-space missions In situ resource utilization.