Stock NERVA vs NovaPunch NERVA

[JMBuilder]

I find both of these to be useful and fair. The stock NERVA has low thrust, high efficiency and is only somewhat heavy, but very large. The NP NERVA has high thrust, high efficiency and is more compact, but SUPER heavy. With these characteristics, I consider neither to be cheating.

What do you fellow astronauts think?

[Ghery88]

Could you make up a simple chart with the characteristics? I'm looking for the NP NERVA in vain...

[JMBuilder]

Stock NERVA:

Weight: 2.25

Thrust: 60

Gimbal: 1

NP NERVA:

Weight: 8.5

Thrust: 235

Gimbal: 0.5

Both engines have much higher impulse in vacuum than in atmosphere and are both incredibly fuel efficient.

Edited September 25, 2012 by JMBuilder

[Ghery88]

Would be nice to have an exact ISP on the NP, but I think I vote for the stock one. It's fuel efficient and that's a great advantage on interplanetary flights.

[JMBuilder]

They're both pretty darn fuel efficient. I think the stock NERVA has a vacuum ISP of about 800 while the NP version has a vacuum ISP of over 1000.

[GoodGuy]

1100 to be exact

[Bluekommeh]

Well it really depends on what craft you are using them on. To be honest, the NP Nerva is probably large enough for large 2m craft.

[KAO]

remember, Kosmos has a NERVA as well

[phoenix_ca]

I tend toward the NP NERVA if I'm looking at a long mission with a large ship. Then it just makes sense to make the most out of my fuel. (To that end, I much prefer ion engines, if I have a choice.)

The stock NERVA is great for smaller ships though. 6 tonnes is a pretty big difference. O.o