Lunar and Martian environmental interactions with nuclear power system radiators

Conference · Thu Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1994

OSTI ID:10181446

Perez-Davis, M E; Gaier, J R ^[1]; Katzan, C M ^[2]

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1. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Cleveland, OH (United States). Lewis Research Center
2. Sverdrup Technology, Inc., Brook Park, OH (United States). Lewis Research Center Group

In the foreseeable future, NASA space milestones include a permanent manned presence on the Moon and an expedition to the planet Mars. Such steps will require careful consideration of environmental interactions in the selection and design of required power systems. Several environmental constituents may be hazardous to performance integrity. Potential threats common to both the Moon and Mars are low ambient temperatures, wide daily temperature swings, solar flux, and large quantities of dust. The surface of Mars provides the additional challenges of dust storms, winds, and a carbon dioxide atmosphere. In this review, the anticipated environmental interactions with surface power system radiators are described, as well as the impacts of these interactions on radiator durability, which have been identified at NASA Lewis Research Center.

• Research Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Cleveland, OH (United States). Lewis Research Center
• Sponsoring Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC (United States); USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AI03-86SF16310
• OSTI ID: 10181446
• Report Number(s): NASA-TM--105747; CONF-9208114--6; ON: DE94051241
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210600
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360105
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
CORROSION
CORROSION AND EROSION
DECOMPOSITION
LUNAR ATMOSPHERE
MARS PLANET
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
POWER REACTORS, MOBILE, PROPULSION, PACKAGE, AND TRANSPORTABLE
RADIATORS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
SPACE POWER REACTORS