Defense Intelligence Reference Document Positron Aerospace Propulsion

Defense Intelligence Agency · 35 pages · text from the file's own layer

This unclassified Defense Intelligence Reference Document from the Defense Intelligence Agency is dated 2 March 2010. It was produced in FY 2009 under the Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications (AAWSA) Program. The report reviews work on using positrons as aerospace fuel. It covers air-breathing turbojet and ramjet engines, unmanned aircraft, missiles, single-stage reusable vehicles, positron rockets and a crewed Mars mission, along with how positrons could be produced and stored. It concludes that a first positron-powered flight around the globe could be possible within 10 years.

Open the PDF at page 23 Original source ↗

“Masse”17 pages

p. 3 …Positron Mass .................................................................. 5 Figure 7. LOCAAS Turbojet Engine ......................................................................... 6 iii UNCLASSIFIED//F81it 8FFIIIAI!: 1!181! &••1…
p. 4 …Total Positron Requirement for SSRV With a Dry Mass of 60,500 kg ....... 10 Table 4…
p. 6 …Hence, when Ps self-annihilates, there is 100 percent conversion of mass into electromagnetic energy given…
p. 7 …5 At sea level for a fuel-air mass ratio of 0.068, it is 500…
p. 10 …1.00 Positron Mass (mg) ./V 1.50 Figure 6. UAV Range Versus Positron Mass (courtesy…
p. 12 …nonstop flights are possible. • Increase in structural mass allows more electronics/passenger amenities. RAMJET-ASSISTED MISSILE…
p. 13 …Improving payload mass requires reducing propellant and structural mass, both of which can be accomplished using…
p. 14 …GLOW for Chemical SSRV21 Vehicle Component Structure Thermal Protection Propulsion (4 engines) Electronics TOTAL DRY MASS…
p. 15 …24 The positron mass budget for a 60,500-kg dry mass for ascension to LEO…
p. 17 …First, a reduction in the engine mass for a given thrust is realized; second, there is…
p. 19 …lead-cartridge concepts show promise if the mass flow rate of the hydrogen propellant exceeds that…
p. 20 …flow-through system with LH2 at higher mass flow rates than LXe; and (d) One-fluid…
p. 21 …A separate Brayton-cycle positron energy conversion system provides power to the pellet mass driver and…
p. 22 …Comparison of Three Positron Propulsion Concepts for Mars Mission lsp Thrust e+ mass Special Notes Solid…
p. 24 …On board propellant requires an overall interplanetary system mass that prohibits use of any type of…
p. 25 …This gives significant mass savings or an equivalent reduction in Mars-to-Earth return time for…
p. 26 …Mars reference mission 53 , 54 considered payload masses of 60,000 kg for 2015 missions. This…

UNCLASSIFIED/ ,<F9A: 9FFHil.«tk Wfili 8Hk'/
POSITRON ENERGY CONVERSION FOR ONBOARD POWER
Research was conducted on positron utilization in a standalone, closed-loop, high-power
system. 42 A Brayton cycle engine (Figure 14) was investigated with output power of 100
kW, consistent with Mars Reference Mission specifications. 43 , 44 Results show efficiencies
of 25-30 percent and positron consumption of 7 μg/hour.
Such a power system would have practical meaning for fast transits to Mars where
positron consumption does not dominate rocket positron consumption.
◄
Work
5
Rf'!gf'l'M'rllto.-
JC~
~
4
Heater•
Att~nu.-,tor
Turbine
2
(Alternator ....
Compr~
I. 1
Radiator
Figure 14. Closed Brayton Cycle Using Positron Annihilation (courtesy Positronics Research LLC) 45
In addition, a small, 110-watt, positron-driven generator (Figure 15) for small, onboard
tasks was designed around the NASA Glenn Research Center Stirling Radioisotope
Generator,46 with heat provided by Ps gamma rays.
I•"'"< ,, '"'"'"
: k ,, ,: •I,~ ,i ,-, •
St,r11ng Convertor 1(55 We) Slirlrng Convcrto, 2 {55 We)
~-----------/,,,,, ---------------
Cryocoolcr U111ts
E1eclnc Power OuI1et
Figure 15. Conceptual 110-Watt Positron Closed-Cycle Generator Based on the NASA Glenn Research
Center Stirling Radioisotope Generator47 (courtesy Positronics Research LLC) 48
18
UNCLASSIFIED/ }F9A: 9FFIGIPk IP&'i 911k¥

Not linked to a story yet.

About this file

Report, from the dia collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is under it. 35 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.