SP-100 space reactor power system readiness and mission flexibility

Conference · Sun Jan 10 00:00:00 EST 1993 · AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.43226· OSTI ID:6630702

Josloff, A T; Matteo, D N; Bailey, H S ^[1]

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1. General Electric Company, Astro Space Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19101 (United States)

The SP-100 Space Reactor Power System (SRPS) is being developed by GE, under contract to the U.S. Department of Energy, to provide electrical power in the range of 10s to 100s of kW. The system represents an enabling technology for a wide variety of earth orbital and interplanetary science missions, nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) stages, and lunar/Mars surface power for the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI). An effective infracture of Industry, National Laboratories and Government agencies has made substantial progress since the 1988 System Design Review. Hardware development and testing has progressed to the point of resolving the key technical feasibility issues. The technology and design is now at a state of readiness to support the definition of early flight demonstration missions. The benefits of utilizing a low power (6 to 20 kWe range) early flight mission as a precursor to operational missions in the 100 kWe range has received renewed interest among Government Agencies and Industry. Studies and assessments were performed throughout 1992 to further refine the potential missions and the SP-100 Space Reactor Power Systems that could be available to support these missions. The results of assessment showed that the first generation'' technology available now from the SP-100 program can support a wide range of candidate missions. The status of the nuclear technology was matured to the level of supporting a flight design with the present available data base. The conductively coupled thermoelectric cell technology is now in the cell level testing and verification phase and component level readiness is projected to be complete by the end of GFY94. Power system designs using the present day flight proven RTG unicouple have been established and also represent an attractive option for early launches. These design concepts are discussed in further detail in a companion paper. (Josloff 1993).

• DOE Contract Number: AC03-86SF16006
• OSTI ID: 6630702
• Report Number(s): CONF-930103-; CODEN: APCPCS
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States), Vol. 271:1; Conference: 10. symposium on space nuclear power and propulsion, Albuquerque, NM (United States), 10-14 Jan 1993; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
SPACE POWER REACTORS
MISSION ANALYSIS
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
CONTROL SYSTEMS
ENERGY CONVERSION
HEAT TRANSFER
MARS PLANET
MOON
NUCLEAR FUELS
RADIATORS
SHIELDS
CONVERSION
ENERGY SOURCES
ENERGY TRANSFER
FUELS
HEAT EXCHANGERS
MATERIALS
MOBILE REACTORS
PLANETS
POWER REACTORS
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTORS
SATELLITES
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
210600* - Power Reactors
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220400 - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Control Systems