Extrasolar Object Interceptor would be capable to search out the closest Oumuamua or Borisov and really return a pattern

What if we were able to hunt interstellar objects like Oumuamua or Comet Borisov that run through our solar system? Such a spaceship should be ready for action at all times and should be able to increase speed and change direction quickly.

That is the idea behind a new mission concept called Extrasolar Object Interceptor and Sample Return Spacecraft. NASA has received exploratory funding through its Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program.

“Bringing back samples of these objects could fundamentally change our view of the universe and our place in it,” said Christopher Morrison, engineer at Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation-Tech (USNC-Tech), who submitted the proposal to NIAC.

The concept proposed by Morrison and his team is a radioisotope-electric-powered spacecraft based on Chargeable Atomic Battery (CAB) technology, a power system developed by USNC for commercial use. The batteries are compact and have millions of times the energy density of state-of-the-art chemical batteries – as well as fossil fuels.

“Radioisotopes have roughly the same amount of total energy stored in each atom,” explained Morrison. “How quickly they release this energy depends on the half-life. Pu-238 has a half-life of 88 years, ideal for long missions to the outer solar system. The CAB batteries that we are developing at USNC-Tech have shorter half-lives and higher power density. At NIAC we use a radioisotope with a half-life of five years and a power density that is over 30 times that of plutonium-238 (Pu-238). “

Artist’s impression of NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft hitting a Pluto-like object in the distant Kuiper Belt. Credits: NASA / JHUAPL / SwRI / Alex Parker

Pu-238 is NASA’s usual nuclear power for their spacecraft. It has been used on more than two dozen highly successful US space missions – such as New Horizons and the Mars rovers Curiosity and Perseverance – for their radioisotope power systems (RPS).

However, Pu-238 faces a number of challenges. Currently only a limited amount of Pu-238 can be produced (currently only 400 grams per year with a path towards 1500 g in the next few years). This is just enough to meet NASA’s future mission needs for its main programs.

Challenges for smaller programs and commercial enterprises are not only due to the supply crisis, but also because Pu-238 is viewed as a special nuclear material with non-proliferation concerns. The radioisotopes in CAB technology are more of a commercial nature, in fact many of them are used heavily for cancer treatment therapies in the medical industry.

Plutonium-238 fuel (in the form of a ceramic) glows with the heat of its natural decay inside a protective cylindrical graphite shell while the heat sources for the power grid are assembled on NASA’s Mars rovers in the Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory. Photo credit: NASA / DOE

“CAB batteries combined with electric propulsion would be very simple systems,” Morrison told Universe Today. “It’s all proven technology. The real innovation we use is the current regulatory environment. Before 2019, there was no legal framework for commercial companies to use nuclear power. Now it’s officially approved. “

President’s NPSN-20 2019 memo directed the Department of Transportation, and more specifically the Federal Aviation Administration, to develop a tiered regulatory system that would allow commercial companies to launch nuclear-powered spacecraft.

Morrison’s proposal states that “The CAB is easier and cheaper to manufacture than Pu-238, and the CAB greatly improves proof of safety by encapsulating radioactive materials in a robust carbide matrix. This technology is superior to fission systems for this application because fission systems require critical mass, while radioisotope systems can be much smaller and fit on smaller launch systems, reducing cost and complexity. “

The CAB-powered spacecraft, which is known as the “Extrasolar Express”, has a fuel mass of just under a ton. In contrast, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 can launch over 20 tons into orbit. What would be done with all that extra space in the launcher?

Morrison explains, “We can trade some of that mass for an extra boost in speed from Earth. In addition, part of the additional mass can be used to increase safety by installing a large, robust protective shield that protects the radioisotope and, in the worst case, does not ensure a release even in the event of a starting accident. In a high orbit, the shield can be ejected and the spaceship can travel unhindered on its mission. “

Extrasolar objects now on site

Artist’s impression of Oumuamua. According to recent research, the object is made of molecular hydrogen ice, which explains its cigar-like shape. Photo credit: ESO / M. Kornmesser

Before the two unusual and fascinating interstellar objects appeared in our solar system (Oumuamua 2017 and Borisov 2019), astronomers had not generally thought that wandering invaders from other star systems might routinely pass by. Scientists now reckon that an average of seven such objects pass through orbit each year. Finding out more about these objects is a tempting prospect, as we can currently only observe them with telescopes as they speed past us.

“These objects seem pretty close to us,” said Morrison. “Getting a mission to catch up with one isn’t a matter of distance, it’s a matter of speed.” This changes the equation unlike most missions that take a long life. This is a speed issue only as you can intercept it and take a sample and return to Earth as long as you have the delta v to complete the mission. ”

Morrison explained the possible mission plan for the Extrasolar Object Interceptor and sample return: Launch the Interceptor spacecraft towards Jupiter and wait for a suitable Extrasolar object to be detected.

“You may have to wait a year or so,” he said, “but no matter what, you will likely have to make a plane change because these objects don’t go into our ecliptic plane. The idea is to fly towards Jupiter and hopefully be in a good place to do a sling around Jupiter to get into the same plane orientation as the object. “

Artist concept of the spaceship Dawn arriving in Vesta. Photo credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech

The spaceship could be similar in size and mass to the Dawn mission, which also used electric propulsion. But instead of Dawn’s giant solar panels, the CAB would provide enough power to create a fast spaceship. The interceptor would need large heat emitting radiators, which (like Dawn’s solar panels) would make up most of the spacecraft.

The details of the “Sample Return” section are still being developed, but may be similar to the TAGSAM sample acquisition system used by the OSIRIS-REx mission.

“I consider myself more like ‘Scotty’ in designing this Interceptor mission, but I’d get a Spock to figure out the science part,” Morrison mused.

CABs are made from non-radioactive materials and then “charged” in a radiation field to create a specific radioisotope. Morrison said there are many different radioisotopes of interest (for example, cobalt-60 and thulium-170) and that the technology can be tailored to a customer’s power density and lifetime requirements. Many of the potential customers of CAB technology are terrestrial companies involved in subsea or underground applications.

The Micro Modular Reactor (MMR ™) system is a 4th generation nuclear power system that provides remote, clean, and inexpensive electricity and heat to remote mines, industries and communities. It is the leading SMR project in Canada and the world’s first so-called “split battery” concept. Image Credit: USNC

“The technology is in the short term forerunner to watt-scale lunar heating applications, but the NIAC proposal represents the sportier version of the technology.”

The NIAC program expects to nurture visionary ideas that could transform future NASA missions by creating breakthroughs while partnering with innovators and entrepreneurs. Even if the Extrasolar Object Interceptor and Sample Return never make it a “real” mission, Morrison and USNC will continue to work to make their CAB a viable source of energy for Earth and space.

“I am very grateful that we received NIAC funding,” said Morrison. “Our company is already investing our own money in this technology.” We want the CAB to be the Duracell battery of the future for everything that seems impossible – like long-term space missions or in remote environments on Earth. “

USNC’s design concept for an advanced nuclear thermal propulsion system to enable rapid transport to the moon and Mars. Image Credit: USNC

In addition to CAB batteries, the USNC company has also developed other nuclear technologies. “Radioisotopes used in CABs are hot rocks that generate constant heat over a long period of time. A fission reactor is another type of nuclear technology that can be turned on and off up and down, ”explains Chris. USNC is developing a small modular fission reactor for use in the Canadian Arctic. This project is at the heart of the company’s efforts.

“Canada spends hundreds of millions annually on diesel so that generators can power their small towns in remote areas,” said Morrison. “And they really want to switch to using small modular reactors.”

It turns out that power systems that work well for distant places on Earth are also good for distant places in space. UNSC-Tech, where Morrison works, is a subsidiary of USNC focused on the aerospace industry and advanced terrestrial systems. USNC-Tech is developing a split drive technology with NASA and DARPA as well as a lunar and Mars reactor, which is referred to as a “pylon reactor”.

“USNC-Tech designs the ‘LEGO’ bricks for space nuclear technology. Space missions would use the same basic terrestrial technology arranged in a different configuration to accomplish bold new things in new places, ”explained Morrison. “The Extra Solar Express NIAC is probably my favorite.”

Caption: Artist’s impression of the Extrasolar Object Interceptor. Photo credit: Christopher Morrison

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