Response of the GPHS/RTG system to potential launch accident environments
- Orbital Sciences Corporation, 20301 Century Blvd., Germantown, Maryland 20874 (United States)
The Cassini spacecraft is designed to carry out an orbital tour of the Saturnian system and an investigation of the planet, its satellites, atmosphere, and its ring system. The space vehicle is powered by three Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) which are mounted normal to the thrust axis of the vehicle. The nuclear heat source for each RTG consists of a stacked column of eighteen General Purpose Heat Source (GPHS) modules. Each module primarily consists of an aeroshell, two Graphite Impact Shells (GIS), and four Fueled Clads (FC). Each FC consists of a fuel pellet of plutonium-238 in the form of the oxide PuO{sub 2} encased in an iridium shell which serves to contain the fuel. An extensive program of experimental tests and analyses was conducted in support of previous missions (Galileo and Ulysses) which served to calibrate and validate the PISCES 2D-ELK continuum mechanics code. This paper describes the response of the GPHS-RTG system to a large number of potential launch accident environments employing the MSC/PISCES Euler Lagrange shell coupled hydrocode as an analytical tool. The results of these calculations quantified the integrity of the iridium clad fuel containment system and provided a data base for a determination of the overall risk for the Cassini mission by others. {copyright} {ital 1998 American Institute of Physics.}
- OSTI ID:
- 664632
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-980103-; ISSN 0094-243X; TRN: 98:011588
- Journal Information:
- AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 420, Issue 1; Conference: Space technology and applications international forum, Albuquerque, NM (United States), 25-29 Jan 1998; Other Information: PBD: Jan 1998
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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