Yesterday we reported that NASA provided funding for the FLOAT project which seeks to build a floating rail system on the surface of the moon. In addition to FLOAT, NASA also provided funds for the Pulsed Plasma Rocket (PPR) project which, if successfully developed, will shorten the journey to Mars.
A DARPA-backed DRACO-like nuclear engine concept could allow future astronauts to reach Mars in 3 months. The PPR plasma pulse nuclear engine will shorten the travel time to only 2 months.
The PPR engine was developed by Howe Industries and it is capable of producing a thrust as high as 100,000 N and a specific impulse (isp) of 5000 seconds. In comparison, the Raptor engine on the Starship spacecraft produces a thrust of around 3.2 million N but isp only 380 seconds.
For space travel, a high specific impulse is necessary because it is a measuring stick of the level of fuel efficiency used by the rocket. With limited fuel, a high specific impulse is seen as more important than the thrust produced.
Howe industries now needs to produce a PPR engine with better isp and reduce its weight. Next a prototype for a mission to Mars needs to be produced.