Advanced technology for nuclear electric propulsion orbital transfer vehicle Hercules

The paper discusses design variables for the Nuclear Power Unit and Electric Propulsion Systems for the 550 kW orbital transfer vehicle HERCULES. It describes advanced technology developments in the fields of these systems, including development of high-temperature materials and the processes for manufacturing end products out of them, reactor tests of thermal emission assemblies and a full-scale prototype fast-neutron thermionic converter reactor, tests with electrical heating of sodium heat pipes, electromagnetic pumps and other assemblies and the module of the Li-Nb cooling system as a whole, as well as magnetoplasmadynamic and Hall electric propulsion thrusters.