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A PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING EVALUATION OF ADVANCED SPACE PROPULSION SYSTEMS. VOLUME I. GENERALIZED PROPULSION SYSTEM ANALYSIS AND MISSION REQUIREMENTS
P. S. Masser, R. J. Page, W. Stoner
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Abstract
A generalized propulsion system analysis relates the optimum'' spccific impulse to (1) the mission characteristic velocity. (2) available propulsion time, and (3) thc ratio of power source weight to jet power, for the cases of one, three, and an infinite number of round trips. The optimum specific impulse is found to be mainly set by the ratio of propulsion time to power source specific weight with less effect caused by changes in characteristic velocity. The analysis includes offoptimum'' specific impulse performance. A unique method of presenting the results which is particularly adapted to superposition of mission requirements was devised. Representative requirements were determined for several satellite, one Moon and one Mars missions to indicate propulsion system choice. Emphasis was placed on insuring the accuracy of comparison of different propulsion systems. (auth)