Strategic defense initiative
The Engineering Technology Division has a leading role, including that of program management, in a major new programmatic thrust of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory that is in support of the national Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI). It is appropriate for the Laboratory to become significantly involved in the program because several of the most promising SDI technologies are in areas for which ORNL (together with Y-12 and K-25) have strong capabilities and significant resources. The initial ORNL work in support of the SDI program is focused on three technologies in which ORNL has extensive experience and traditionally strong research and development programs: (1) space nuclear power, (2) flywheel energy storage, and (3) neutral particle beams. The space nuclear program will utilize our capabilities in areas such as refractory materials, high-temperature alkali metal systems, shielding, and instrumentation. Space nuclear reactors capable of supplying multimegawatt levels of electrical power on a continuous and long-term basis are envisioned to be required for a variety of SDI surveillance satellites and space-borne weapons platforms. The feasibility of an alkali metal Rankine power conversion cycle, which has promise of providing high power with a very low system mass, is planned for study.
- Research Organization:
- Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Oak Ridge, TN (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 5746213
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/OR/21400-T124; ON: DE85012778
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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FLYWHEEL ENERGY STORAGE
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
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SPACE POWER REACTORS
SPACE WEAPONS
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ENERGY STORAGE
MOBILE REACTORS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
POWER REACTORS
RADIATION TRANSPORT
REACTORS
STORAGE
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
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