Risk Estimation Methodology for Launch Accidents.
- Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- USDOE Office of Space and Defense Power Systems, NE-75, Germantown, MD (United States)
As compact and light weight power sources with reliable, long lives, Radioisotope Power Systems (RPSs) have made space missions to explore the solar system possible. Due to the hazardous material that can be released during a launch accident, the potential health risk of an accident must be quantified, so that appropriate launch approval decisions can be made. One part of the risk estimation involves modeling the response of the RPS to potential accident environments. Due to the complexity of modeling the full RPS response deterministically on dynamic variables, the evaluation is performed in a stochastic manner with a Monte Carlo simulation. The potential consequences can be determined by modeling the transport of the hazardous material in the environment and in human biological pathways. The consequence analysis results are summed and weighted by appropriate likelihood values to give a collection of probabilistic results for the estimation of the potential health risk. This information is used to guide RPS designs, spacecraft designs, mission architecture, or launch procedures to potentially reduce the risk, as well as to inform decision makers of the potential health risks resulting from the use of RPSs for space missions.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- OSTI ID:
- 1141031
- Report Number(s):
- SAND2014-1670C; 505065
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Proposed for presentation at the Probabilistic Safety Assessment and Management held June 22-27, 2014 in Honolulu, HI.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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