The case for solar thermal steam propulsion system for interplanetary travel: Enabling simplified isru utilizing neos and small bodies

Physics & Astronomy

• propulsion 59%
• steam 57%
• travel 53%
• water 30%
• heat 23%
• thrust 20%
• near Earth objects 13%
• electrolysis 10%
• propellants 10%
• sunlight 9%
• nanoparticles 8%
• impurities 8%
• reflectors 8%
• water resources 7%
• rocket nozzles 7%
• interplanetary spacecraft 7%
• monopropellants 7%
• high thrust 7%
• regolith 6%
• space exploration 6%
• carbon 5%
• meteorites 5%
• heating 5%
• hydrogen 5%
• oxygen 5%
• payloads 5%
• carbon monoxide 5%
• concentrators 4%
• nuclear reactors 4%
• clays 4%
• viability 4%
• minerals 4%
• resources 4%
• ice 4%
• sulfur 4%
• sun 3%
• heat transfer 3%
• conduction 2%
• liquids 2%
• performance 1%
• simulation 1%
• temperature 1%

Engineering & Materials Science

• Steam propulsion 100%
• Water 28%
• Hot Temperature 25%
• Steam 21%
• Propulsion 20%
• Nanoparticles 13%
• Impurities 12%
• Electrolysis 10%
• Propellants 9%
• Meteorites 7%
• Earth (planet) 7%
• Interplanetary spacecraft 7%
• Oxygen 7%
• Hydrogen 7%
• Rocket nozzles 6%
• Monopropellants 6%
• Solar concentrators 6%
• Water resources 5%
• Carbon black 5%
• Industrial heating 5%
• Nuclear reactors 4%
• Carbon monoxide 4%
• Sun 4%
• Ice 4%
• Minerals 4%
• Clay 4%
• Sulfur 4%
• Carbon 3%
• Heating 3%
• Heat transfer 2%
• Liquids 2%
• Temperature 1%

Earth & Environmental Sciences

• travel 48%
• thrust 20%
• water 16%
• nanoparticle 13%
• propellant 11%
• electrokinesis 9%
• hydrogen 7%
• heating 6%
• oxygen 6%
• water extraction 6%
• nuclear reactor 6%
• world 5%
• regolith 5%
• distribution system 5%
• black carbon 5%
• meteorite 4%
• carbon monoxide 4%
• viability 4%
• spacecraft 4%
• laboratory test 4%
• combustion 3%
• sulfur 3%
• water resource 3%
• ice 3%
• clay 3%
• liquid 2%
• carbon 2%
• resource 2%
• mineral 2%
• laboratory 2%
• simulation 2%
• temperature 1%