Mars / Europa INPPS Flagship: All right for UN NPS Principles

Kurzfassung

The presentation gives an overview of the current plans for the INPPS (International Nuclear Power and Propulsion System) Flagship design as well as related scenarios for utilization and puts these efforts in context with related legal and political challenges. In the last years (2017/2018) significant technological progress has been achieved as the nuclear reactor, radiator and propulsion subsystems of INPPS Flagship have successfully passed partial ground testing. Thus, the next step towards the INPPS goal of efficient and effective transport missions to Mars / Phobos and Jupiter / Europa has been taken. Hence, it is important to consider wider aspects for the overall mission implementation phase. Mission components such as the nuclear reactor as the power source for the propulsion system will have to comply with the 1992 UN principles relevant to the use of nuclear power sources (NPS) in outer space as well as scepticism at a time of low appetite for nuclear energy before implementation. Therefore in addition to an update on current technical state of art, this paper will look into the political questions related to the mission design, requirements of associated safety regulations and economic aspects for INPPS Flagship commercialization and international communication. The paper will show that the rationales for pursuing the implementation of this flagship mission are derived from a technological push but also from wider strategic aspects that benefit a variety of stakeholders and serve multiple goals. The interactive presentation will include videos related to INPPS Flagship, international interviews for Mars exploration mission by NPS, description of UN principles of NPS as well as commercialization and international communication aspects.