PARTICLE BED NUCLEAR REACTOR TECHNOLOGY FOR FUTURE AIR FORCE AIR-BREATHING PROPULSION SYSTEMS

IT IS HERE PROPOSED TO EVALUATE PARTICLE BED NUCLEAR REACTOR TECHNOLOGY FOR USE IN FUTURE AIR FORCE AIR-BREATHING PROPULSION SYSTEMS. SINCE AIR-BREATHING CHEMICAL PROPULSION IS LIMITED IN THE AMOUNT OF ENERGY AND THRUST IT CAN PRODUCE, AND SINCE VEHICLE CONCEPTS ARE REACHING THE END OF THAT LIMIT, IT IS BECOMING NECESSARY TO INVESTIGATE OTHER POSSIBILITIES, SUCH AS NUCLEAR PROPULSION SYSTEMS. NUCLEAR FUELS PROVIDE APPROXIMATELY ONE MILLION TIMES THE ENERGY PER UNIT WEIGHT OF CHEMICAL FUELS; THUS, VAST INCREASES IN PERFORMANCE ARE POSSIBLE FOR AIRBREATHING PROPULSION SYSTEMS. SYSTEMS WHICH WILL BE EVALUATED INCLUDE: THE NUCLEAR TURBOJET, THE NUCLEAR TURBOPROP, AND THE NUCLEAR RAMJET.