Fission Fragment Afterburner Rocket to the Outer Planets

[tea monster]

My latest project is a fission fragment afterburner rocket. Most of the ship is based on a design for a deep space propulsion system designed by Robert Werka (NASA Paper linked below). He and Thomas Percy then put together a concept for a manned vehicle in the HOPE style using the fission fragment engine, but this time using injected hydrogen to get an afterburner effect to increase thrust.

I'm starting at the rear and working forward.
Top shot is a panel from the PDF showing the proposed ship.
Bottom is where I am at the moment on my model. 

EDIT 24/03/2019 - added link to Atomic Rockets site with information on the fission fragment afterburner engine.

[tea monster]

I've got block-outs of the FF engines and the RCS module. I've not added the Brayton conversion units yet. The one in the illustration looks like... something golden. I did my own research and found that the only flight-designed units look very different indeed. I don't know if there has been some more advanced research since the sources that I found. If anyone can shed any light, it would be appreciated.

She's progressing. After the Brayton units, I'll start the radiators.

[tea monster]

Got a lot more done. I've created the brayton cycle engines, improved the tanks and got a block-out of the radiators done.

[tea monster]

Got a 'proper' render, instead of a screengrab. She dosen't have any materials yet, but this gives a better indicator of forms.

[tea monster]

Did some work on the radiators.

[speedevil]

My latest project is a fission fragment afterburner rocket. Most of the ship is based on a design for a deep space propulsion system designed by Robert Werka (NASA Paper linked below). He and Thomas Percy then put together a concept for a manned vehicle in the HOPE style using the fission fragment engine, but this time using injected hydrogen to get an afterburner effect to increase thrust.

If it was possible to get ISP down to 32K, and retain the large power and comparative lightness, this may be useful for more than outer planets.
Tugs, for example, especially of either large tanks, or captured volatiles.

[tea monster]

Radiators.

[tea monster]

Not convinced about the size of the RCS pods in comparison to the size of the habs. I followed the size of the various components from the illustrations in the paper. Might have to revisit that.

Hab units are just basic shapes at the moment. In the illustration that accompanied the original paper, it appears to be based on an SLS booster that has had the 'Skylab' treatment. I've gone for Bigelow modules for living quarters and Cygnus extended modules for logistics and storage. Might need a lander as well!

[tea monster]

And a long shot of the entire vehicle (minus the lander).

[tea monster]

Working on some Hab details.

[tea monster]

Got the super-detailing on the hab units done. Got to give some love to the Cygnus supply/logistics modules and ready to start texturing.

[tea monster]

Nearly finished the hab units. Had a Congressional moment and realised that I haven't got a lander!

[tea monster]

We have a lander! Heavily based on Lockheed Martin's 'Big Boy' single-stage lunar lander, I'm thinking that if it can land on the Moon, it should handle any of Uranus or Neptune's satellites.

[tea monster]

Got some more detail on the lander.

[tea monster]

Finished the hab section. Added more detail to the attach points and pump mechanism of the radiators.

[tea monster]

This is a quick and dirty render test. A lot of work needs doing on the materials, lighting, etc. I thought it turned out well though.