Conduct and results of the Interagency Nuclear Safety Review Panel's evaluation of the Ulysses space mission

Conference · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.40036· OSTI ID:5701047

Sholtis, Jr, J A ^[1]; Gray, L B ^[2]; Huff, D A ^[3]; Klug, N P ^[4]; Winchester, R O ^[5]

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1. Directorate of Nuclear Surety, Air Force Inspection Safety Center, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico 87117-5000 (USA)
2. Office of Safety Mission Quality, National Aeronautics Space Administration, Washington, DC 20546 (USA)
3. Office of Environment, Safety, Health, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC 20545 (USA)
4. Office of Light Water Reactor Safety Technology, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC 20545 (USA)
5. Directorate of Nuclear Surety, Air Force Inspection Safety Center, Kirtland, AFB, New Mexico 87111-5000 (USA)

The recent 6 October 1990 launch and deployment of the nuclear-powered Ulysses spacecraft from the Space Shuttle {ital Discovery} culminated an extensive safety review and evaluation effort by the Interagency Nuclear Safety Review Panel (INSRP). After more than a year of detailed independent review, study, and analysis, the INSRP prepared a Safety Evaluation Report (SER) on the Ulysses mission, in accordance with Presidential Directive-National Security Council memorandum 25. The SER, which included a review of the Ulysses Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR) and an independent characterization of the mission risks, was used by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in its decision to request launch approval as well as by the Executive Office of the President in arriving at a launch decision based on risk-benefit considerations. This paper provides an overview of the Ulysses mission and the conduct as well as the results of the INSRP evaluation. While the mission risk determined by the INSRP in the SER was higher than that characterized by the Ulysses project in the FSAR, both reports indicated that the radiological risks were relatively small. In the final analysis, the SER proved to be supportive of a positive launch decision. The INSRP evaluation process has demonstrated its effectiveness numerous times since the 1960s. In every case, it has provided the essential ingredients and perspective to permit an informed launch decision at the highest level of our Government.

• OSTI ID: 5701047
• Report Number(s): CONF-910116-; CODEN: APCPC; TRN: 91-020034
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States), Vol. 217:1; Conference: 8. symposium on space nuclear power systems, Albuquerque, NM (United States), 6-10 Jan 1991; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
07 ISOTOPES AND RADIATION SOURCES
SPACE SHUTTLES
RISK ASSESSMENT
ACCIDENTS
RADIATION HAZARDS
RADIOISOTOPE HEAT SOURCES
SAFETY ENGINEERING
SUN
THERMOELECTRIC GENERATORS
AIRCRAFT
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ENGINEERING
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HEAT SOURCES
MAIN SEQUENCE STARS
SPACE VEHICLES
STARS
VEHICLES
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
300302* - Thermoelectric Generators- Performance & Testing
070300 - Isotopic Power Supplies
070500 - Isotope & Radiation Source Technology- Health & Safety- (1990-)