Project Icarus: Architecture Development for Atmospheric Helium 3 Mining of the Outer Solar System Gas Planets for Space Exploration and Power Generation
- Paper number
IAC-10.D4.2.6
- Author
Mr. Andreas Hein, Technische Universität München, Germany
- Coauthor
Mr. Kelvin Long, United Kingdom
- Year
2010
- Abstract
Project Icarus reassesses the original Daedalus concept of a fusion-propelled interstellar probe. Daedalus was conducted by the British Interplanetary Society during the 1970’s. The fusion propulsion of the Daedalus probe required large amounts of Helium 3, which is highly abundant within the atmospheres of the outer solar system gas planets. Therefore, the Daedalus study proposed a large-scale mining of Jupiter. Helium 3 mining of the gas planets was also proposed to provide fuel supply for power generation on Earth. In this paper, an architecture is developed, which is intended to primarily satisfy the needs of the stakeholders related to Earth-based power generation. This primal goal is intended to increase the sustainability of space exploration projects like Icarus, by a common use of infrastructure. First, different scenarios for the societal, technological, scientific and political context are developed, in which He3 mining might become attractive for Earth-based energy generation. Second, the architecture elements are identified and the environmental conditions of the different gas planets assessed with respect to atmospheric mining and transportation. Third, different architectures are compared and the most attractive one selected. Fourth, the selected architecture is developed in more detail. Finally, the implications of this architecture for space exploration and power generation are analysed. This is a submission of the Project Icarus Study Group.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-10.D4.2.6.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.