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A “nuclear light bulb” is a type of nuclear-powered rocket engine or power source. It uses a quartz wall to separate the coolant/propellant from the nuclear fuel. It could be used for rocket propulsion or to generate electricity through photovoltaics. It offers superior propulsion and complete reusability, with a payload equal to 30% of its total weight. It could also provide energy for numerous uses aboard ship, using photovoltaics. However, it has never been used in space due to the inconvenience of sending nuclear materials into space.
A “nuclear light bulb” is the nickname for a specific type of nuclear-powered rocket engine or power source. In a nuclear bulb, the coolant/propellant is separated from the nuclear fuel by a quartz wall. Although the reactor reaches temperatures of about 25,000°C (45,030°), most of the radiation is in the hard ultraviolet range, to which quartz is practically transparent. Therefore the quartz wall does not melt or evaporate, due to the propellant, probably hydrogen. Alternatively, a nuclear light bulb could be used to generate electricity through photovoltaics (solar cells).
Because nuclear power allows for far more joules per gram of fuel than chemical energy sources, a nuclear light bulb would be a superior form of rocket propulsion to the type used today. But due to the inconvenience of sending nuclear materials into space, this technology has never been used in space. Several experimental projects have been built and successfully executed.
A big advantage of a rocket powered by a nuclear light bulb would be its complete reusability. Only nuclear fuel would have to be replaced. Due to the power density of the uranium pellets, which would be the fuel, the ship could have a payload equal to 30% of its total weight! In traditional chemical-powered spaceflight, this is unheard of, where the payload makes up 10% or less of the total mass. A plausible design that could be built with current technology for a similar cost to Space Shuttle booster rockets would have a payload of around £2 million.
Not only would a nuclear light bulb be more efficient at igniting hydrogen fuel, but it would also be able to provide energy for numerous uses aboard ship, using photovoltaics. This would allow for orders of magnitude more power than solar or chemical power plant-based spacecraft designs. Enough power for people to live comfortably in space, as long as enough uranium is brought along.
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