Autonomous Nuclear-Powered Spacecraft with Shielded Reactor and Ion Thruster

This document presents the finalized architecture and performance analysis of a long-range autonomous spacecraft powered by a compact nuclear reactor and equipped with a high-efficiency xenon ion thruster. The design integrates a passive inverted-triangle shielding system, a carbon-graphene tether structure, and a rotating crew module generating artificial gravity. The propulsion system achieves a specific impulse of 8000 seconds and a Δv of ~17,500 m/s, targeting interplanetary missions such as Mars or the Asteroid Belt. The updated version includes corrected power equations, mass flow calculations with efficiency factors, and dynamic acceleration modeling based on variable mass. Numerical integration is recommended for accurate transit timing. This paper serves as a theoretical and engineering foundation for future prototyping in low Earth orbit.