Perspectives of The Interagency Nuclear Safety Review Panel (INSRP) on future nuclear powered space missions

Conference · Sat Jan 09 23:00:00 EST 1993 · AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.43183· OSTI ID:5535145

Gray, L B ^[1]; Pyatt, D W ^[2]; Sholtis, J A ^[3]; Winchester, R O ^[4]

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1. NASA HQ/Code QS, 300 E Street, SW, Washington, DC 20546 (United States)
2. DOE HQ/Office of Nuclear Safety, Mail Stop NS-20, Washington, DC 20545 (United States)
3. U.S. Air Force Directorate of Nuclear Surety, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico 87117 (United States)
4. U.S. Air Force (Ret.), c/o Directorate of Nuclear Surety, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico 87117 (United States)

The Interagency Nuclear Safety Review Panel (INSRP) has provided reviews of all nuclear powered spacecraft launched by the United States. The two most recent launches were Ulysses in 1990 and Galileo in 1989. One reactor was launched in 1965 (SNAP-10A). All other U.S. space missions have utilized radioisotopic thermoelectric generators (RTGs). There are several missions in the next few years that are to be nuclear powered, including one that would utilize the Topaz II reactor purchased from Russia. INSRP must realign itself to perform parallel safety assessments of a reactor powered space mission, which has not been done in about thirty years, and RTG powered missions.

• OSTI ID: 5535145
• Report Number(s): CONF-930103--
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States), Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States) Vol. 271:1; ISSN 0094-243X; ISSN APCPCS
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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