Design and Stress Analysis of Extraterrestrial ... - The Black Vault

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However, 'this list can be changed depending upon the engine's
operating principle or structural decisions-made with respect to
any part. For example, if the electrical power plant fs a type of
reactor-transformer, it is advisable to use a low-voltage plasma
engine. The use of this engine is more expedient if the electrical
voltage of the reactor-transformer is equal to the working voltage
of the engine and it is installed directly on the switching unit
of the reactor-transformer. Such a decision. substantially changes
the nomenclature and content of the-entire ERE composition indicated
in-Fig. 1.15, while the ERE itself can be optimal for this case
Sboth with respect to the working parameters and reliability. Therefore,
below we have presented only the overall requirements on ERE
reliability aiid•the particular case examined is to solve the problem
of electrical rocket engine reliability with an ion engine.
-C Engine reliability requirements
The engine of a piloted spacecraft for long-range flights must
have Very'high, practical 100% reliability. The length of the
operating period is meas,"red in years. Electrical rocket engines
in general and ion engines in particular are being built for the
first time and., therefore, it is impossible to ,zxpect 100%
r elizbility for an ERE with only one engine. The tested engineering
Sapproach to the solution of such a problem is the joint use of
,two paths':
- the creation, of a highly reliable electrical rocket motor
which is a module- of the engine;
- the :use of reserve modules.
In the case of an ion engine the module system is obviously
more applicable. It is a unit composed of modules of ion motors,
a -complex of necessary equipment and devices, also with corresponding
reserves.
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