nuclear-thermoelectric rocket

English

Noun

nuclear-thermoelectric rocket (plural nuclear-thermoelectric rockets)

1. (astronautics) a rocket with a thermal ion engine, whereby the ions are ionized by electricity from a nuclear reactor, and the fluid that is the source of the ions is heated by that nuclear reactor to increase specific impulse.

Related terms

• nuclear-electric rocket
• nuclear-thermal rocket
• nuclear-pulse rocket
• nuclear rocket
• electric rocket