Systems and methods for nuclear reactor direct drive of a cryocooler turbine. A nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) system may have a nuclear reactor that heats a thermal working fluid for directly driving the turbine to power a cryogenic fluid management (CFM) system for keeping propellant at cryogenic temperatures. The features may be used on NTP rockets. The propellant may be liquid hydrogen.

Systems, apparatuses, methods, and software are described herein that provide enhanced logistical control over spacecraft. This logistical control can include attitude adjustment and desaturation of reaction wheels. In one example, a method of operating a spacecraft includes providing propellant in two or more propellant tanks for use by at least a thruster of the spacecraft. During application of a force on the spacecraft, the method includes transferring propellant from at least a first propellant tank to at least a second propellant tank to alter a center of mass of the spacecraft.

A control rod assembly for a nuclear reactor having a reactor core and a pressurized fluid source, including a control rod disposed within a control rod sleeve, a lead screw that is selectively secured to the control rod, a trip latch that is secured to a bottom end of the lead screw, the trip latch being selectively securable to a top end of the control rod, a control rod drive motor that is operably connected to the lead screw, and a valve that is in fluid communication with the pressurized fluid source of the nuclear reactor and is movable between a first position and a second position, wherein in the second position of the gas valve the trip latch is in an open position.

An internal interface structure of a nuclear thermal propulsion nuclear reactor including a reactor vessel and a reactor head, including a substantially cylindrical body having a top end, a bottom end, an inner surface, and an outer surface, and an annular flange extending radially-outwardly from the outer surface of the body, wherein the annular flange of the interface structure is mounted between an upper flange of the reactor vessel and a bottom flange of the reactor head.

Asteroid redirection and soft-landing systems are provided that use cosmic ray and muon-catalyzed micro-fusion. These systems include a micro-fusion propulsion system providing thrust for redirecting a small asteroid, as well as providing a particle cushion at a landing site for a soft-landing. The systems deploy deuterium-containing fuel material as a localized cloud interacting with incoming ambient cosmic rays to generate energetic fusion products. Dust or other particulate matter in the fuel material converts some cosmic rays into muons that also catalyze fusion. The fusion products provide thrusting upon the asteroid. The fusion products also aid deceleration of incoming asteroids to be mined for a soft landing upon a lunar or planetary surface.

A collision-avoidance propulsion system and method for orbiting satellites and other spacecraft takes advantage of ambient cosmic rays in space to catalyze micro-fusion events via particle-target fusion and muon-catalyzed fusion processes, using the reaction products to produce thrust upon orbiting satellites and other spacecraft. A supply of deuterium-containing particle fuel material is propelled in a specified direction of the spacecraft in response to indication of a potential collision with another space object (e.g. orbiting debris). In one embodiment, this may be performed by propellant gas expelling the fuel material through conduits to specified ports on the exterior of the spacecraft. The propelled material interacts with the ambient cosmic rays and muon generated from those cosmic rays to induce micro-fusion. A portion of the energetic reaction products (e.g. alpha particles) are received upon the spacecraft to alter its trajectory in a manner that avoids the potential collision.

The invention is for a startup system for nuclear fusion engines in space. The combustion of hydrogen and oxygen produces heat that is used by a heat engine to produce electricity. This can be supplemented by electricity from other operating engines. The exhaust from the combustion is condensed and electrolyzed to produce hydrogen and oxygen once the engine is in operation. This provides a constant source of energy for future startups. The engine is started up at partial power in electricity generation mode and this power replaces the power from the combustion as it grows. The combustor uses the same heat engine as the nuclear engine uses for power generation.

A micro-fusion powered spacecraft makes use of ambient cosmic rays and muons generated therefrom to provide micro-fusion propulsion. The craft has a centrally located internal reaction chamber with an upper dome and tapering to a bottom exhaust opening. The chamber is radially surrounded by the main body of the craft. Ports from a fuel supply in the main body inject a deuterium-containing micro-fusion fuel material as a dispersed cloud into the chamber. Ambient cosmic rays and muons penetrate the upper dome into the chamber and interact with the fuel to produce energetic reaction products. Some of the reaction products exit the chamber through the exhaust opening to provide reaction thrust, while other reaction products interact with the dome of the chamber to directly apply a thrusting force. The exhaust system has a set electrostatic plates that deflect reaction products to steer the reaction thrust. A coil electromagnet around the chamber steers and confines both the incoming charged muons and reaction products created within the chamber.

Asteroid redirection systems are provided that use cosmic ray and muon-catalyzed micro-fusion. These systems include a micro-fusion propulsion system providing thrust for redirecting an asteroid, as well as micro-fusion electrical generation powering an ion drive. The systems deploy deuterium-containing fuel material as a localized cloud interacting with incoming ambient cosmic rays to generate energetic fusion products. Dust or other particulate matter in the fuel material converts some cosmic rays into muons that also catalyze fusion. The fusion products provide thrusting upon the asteroid, or when produced near turbines facilitates electrical generation, which can then power an ion drive.

This embodiment relates to a lifting or flying device using the energy from the radioactive decay of radioactive elements to accelerate an object. A thin radioactive coating is spread over a large surface area that allows most of the radiated particles to escape. The force from the decay of an unobstructed side A of a flattened or curved radioactive emitting device has enough energy to push an object toward its opposite side B expelling particles or waves at relativistic speeds in its exhaust if side B is covered by a shield that prevents most of the radiation from escaping that side. Trillions of small microscopic explosions per second per gram of radioactive material has enough energy from radioactive decay from alpha, beta, or gamma rays decaying to escape on A side which is much greater number of particles escaping than shielded side B imparting a force in in B direction.