Solar Thermal Propulsion Concept Featuring Phase-Change Latent Heat Storage and Subsequent Hydrogen Burning in Fluorine

We consider the concept of solar thermal propulsion featuring latent heat storage based on a phase-change binary boron and silicon eutectic alloy, the thermophysical properties of which allow it to be used in an isothermal system comprising a mirror solar concentrator, a sunlight absorber and latent heat storage. We analysed the potential for decreasing the mass and size of the system described above when the hydrogen heated in it is subsequently burned in fluorine, which significantly decreases the mass flow rate of heated hydrogen that must ensure the burn required. We provide mass and power characteristics of spacecraft featuring solar thermal propulsion for the geostationary orbit insertion problem and interorbital transfer time in the range of 20 to 90 days. We present a mathematical model of operation of a complex engineering system consisting of a spacecraft and solar thermal propulsion, and an algorithm for optimising relevant parameters of the system consisting of a concentrator, a sunlight absorber and latent heat storage that takes into account ballistic properties of a multi-burn trajectory with active apsidal segments, as well as partial transfer orbit shadowing conditions. We show rational oxidizer-to-fuel ratios as a function of geostationary orbit insertion time. We evaluate preferential use of spacecraft equipped with the propulsion system considered as compared to alternative means of interorbital transfer

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