Nuclear-Powered PAMP Thruster: Enabling Outer Solar System Exploration Article Swipe

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Okushigue, Jefferson M. · YOU? · · 2025 · Open Access · · DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17677881

Computational Feasibility Study of Nuclear Reactor Integration for Deep Space Missions ⚠️ IMPORTANT: Computational Study Only This is a computational feasibility study. No nuclear hardware has been assembled or tested. All performance metrics are predictions from physics-based computational simulations requiring experimental validation to advance from TRL 2 to TRL 3-4. Overview This study presents comprehensive computational analysis of nuclear reactor integration with the Pulsed Alternating Magnetoplasma (PAMP) thruster concept for outer solar system exploration. Building on the baseline PAMP electric propulsion study (see Related Identifiers), we analyze three nuclear reactor configurations: Kilopower-class (10 kW, TRL 6) - Near-term missions: Moon, Mars, Jupiter SNAP-modernized (100 kW, TRL 4) - Ice giants: Saturn, Uranus, Neptune MW-class fission (1 MW, TRL 3) - Deep space: Kuiper Belt, heliopause, interstellar precursors Key Findings (Computational Predictions) Revolutionary Mission Capabilities: Lunar Applications: 16-day cargo delivery with Kilopower (vs 30-60 days ion propulsion) Near-term commercial market: $1-3B/year by 2030s Enables routine lunar logistics for Artemis program Inner Solar System: Mars: 225 days (Kilopower, 7.5 months) Jupiter: 711 days (Kilopower, 1.95 years) - 3.5x faster than solar PAMP Outer Solar System: Saturn: 803 days (SNAP-100, 2.2 years) - enables sample return Uranus: 1,142 days (SNAP-100, 3.13 years) - first orbiter possible Neptune: 1,429 days (SNAP-100, 3.91 years) - 3x faster than Voyager 2 Deep Space: Kuiper Belt (50 AU): 934 days (MW-class, 2.56 years) Heliopause (120 AU): 1,447 days (MW-class, 3.96 years) - 9x faster than Voyager Interstellar precursor (1,000 AU): 28.8 years (MW-class) - gravitational lens missions Comparison to Alternatives: Mission Chemical Solar PAMP Nuclear PAMP Improvement Jupiter 5-7 years 6.8 years 1.95 years 3.5x faster Saturn 7+ years Impractical 2.2 years Revolutionary Neptune 12 years Impractical 3.91 years 3x faster Contents of This Dataset 📄 Technical Paper (28 pages): Complete nuclear integration analysis Three reactor configurations modeled Mission analysis: Moon → 6,324 AU Comparative analysis vs chemical, solar, ion+nuclear Technology maturation roadmap (TRL 2 → 9) Cost estimates ($200-400M to flight demo) Regulatory considerations 5 technical appendices 💻 Computational Code: pamp_nuclear_simulation.py - Full Python simulation Three operational modes: Kilopower integration SNAP-class integration MW-class integration Mission analysis for all major solar system targets Monte Carlo uncertainty quantification Publication-quality figure generation 📊 Generated Outputs: Performance comparison plots (300 DPI) Mission capability visualizations Transit time vs distance analysis Propellant mass requirements Technology Readiness and Development Path Current Status: TRL 2 (Computational Prediction) Baseline PAMP Electric: TRL 2 (computational study, see companion paper) Kilopower Reactor: TRL 6 (NASA ground demonstration, 2018) Recommended Development Path: Phase I (2025-2027): Validate baseline PAMP electric concept Laboratory prototype: 1-20 J/pulse Measure reconnection efficiency, energy recovery Funding target: $2-5M (NIAC, ESA, university) Phase II (2028-2029): Kilopower simulator integration PAMP + electrical power simulator (not actual reactor) Thermal-vacuum testing Funding target: $10-20M (DOE, NASA joint) Phase III (2030-2032): Ground demonstration with actual Kilopower Nevada test site integration Full safety analysis Launch approval process Funding target: $30-50M (DOE lead) Phase IV (2033-2035): Flight demonstration Possible missions: Lunar cargo, Jupiter orbiter Funding target: $150-300M (full mission) Total estimated investment to TRL 6: $200-400M over 10 years Applications and Market Near-Term Commercial (2030s): Lunar cargo logistics: $1-3B/year market Artemis program support Commercial base construction Science Missions (2035-2045): Ice giant orbiters: Uranus/Neptune (no missions currently planned) Kuiper Belt survey: Multiple objects per mission Sample returns: Titan, Enceladus, Triton (<5 year roundtrip) Deep Space (2045+): Heliopause missions: 4 years vs 35 years (Voyager) Gravitational lens observatory: 1,000 AU in 29 years Foundation for fusion-electric: When fusion available Uncertainties and Validation Requirements Critical Uncertainties: PAMP Performance (±40%): Reconnection efficiency: 62% predicted, needs experimental validation Energy recovery: 92% predicted, may be 70-85% realistic If performance degrades 40%, missions still 2-3x faster than alternatives Nuclear Integration (±15%): EM interference between PAMP switching and reactor controls Thermal management in space conditions Long-duration reliability (10,000+ hours) Mission Analysis (±25%): Simplified trajectory models Real missions include gravity losses, steering losses, coast phases Sensitivity Analysis: Even with 40% PAMP performance degradation: Lunar missions: Still viable (16 → 23 days) Jupiter: Still faster than solar (1.95 → 2.7 years) Neptune: Still revolutionary (3.91 → 5.5 years) System retains revolutionary capability across uncertainty range. Seeking Partners We seek collaboration with: National Laboratories: Los Alamos National Laboratory (nuclear reactor expertise) Idaho National Laboratory (space reactor program) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (materials, shielding) Government Agencies: DOE Office of Space & Defense Power Systems NASA Glenn Research Center (nuclear propulsion) DARPA (advanced propulsion programs) Academic Institutions: Universities with plasma physics programs Fusion research laboratories MHD and magnetic reconnection experimentalists Funding Opportunities: DOE Space Reactor Program: $10-30M NASA/DOE Joint Programs: $50-100M International partnerships: ESA, JAXA cost-sharing Related Work Companion Study: PAMP Thruster (Solar/Electric): https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17669297 Focus: Mars missions, inner solar system, solar power Same author, complementary application domain Referenced in: Nuclear PAMP builds on baseline PAMP physics Supplements: Baseline study with outer solar system applications Contact and Collaboration Author: Jefferson M. OkushigueORCID: 0009-0001-5576-605XEmail: [email protected]: Hamamatsu, Japan Collaboration Interests: Nuclear space reactor integration Experimental PAMP validation (electric baseline) Mission planning for outer planet missions Funding opportunities (DOE, NASA, international) License and Usage License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) You are free to: Share: Copy and redistribute Adapt: Remix, transform, build upon For any purpose, even commercially Under these terms: Attribution: Cite this work appropriately No additional restrictions Citation: Okushigue, J.M. (2025). Nuclear-Powered PAMP Thruster: Enabling Outer Solar System Exploration.Zenodo.https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17677882 Keywords nuclear propulsion, space reactor, PAMP thruster, magnetic reconnection, electric propulsion, outer solar system, deep space exploration, Kilopower, ice giants, Kuiper Belt, NASA, DOE, computational study, feasibility analysis, Mars missions, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, interstellar precursor, heliopause Version History Version 1.0 (November 2025) Initial computational study Three reactor configurations analyzed Complete mission analysis Moon → 6,324 AU Python simulation code included Ready for peer review and stakeholder briefings Acknowledgments This independent computational research was conducted using open-source Python libraries (NumPy, SciPy, Matplotlib). NASA Kilopower specifications are from publicly available technical reports. No external funding was received for this study. We thank the anonymous reviewer who provided critical feedback on the companion baseline study, ensuring scientific rigor and appropriate uncertainty quantification. Document Status: Ready for Zenodo submission, peer review, and DOE/NASA stakeholder briefings Supplementary Materials: All simulation code, figures, and technical appendices included in this dataset For questions or collaboration: [email protected]

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Nuclear-Powered PAMP Thruster: Enabling Outer Solar System Exploration

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Okushigue, Jefferson M.

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Orbiter, Solar System, Astrobiology, NASA Deep Space Network, Aerospace engineering, Outer planets, Neptune, Solar sail, Mars Exploration Program, Propulsion, Space research, Space exploration, In-space propulsion technologies, Planet, Ion thruster, Astronomy, Jupiter (rocket family), Spacecraft, Environmental science, Planetary science, Exploration of Mars, Physics, Solar wind, Satellite, Saturn, Engineering, Deep space exploration, Comet, Asteroid, Electrically powered spacecraft propulsion, Solar energetic particles, Nuclear astrophysics

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