Mission needs and system commonality for space nuclear power and propulsion

Conference · Thu Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993

OSTI ID:10169184

Buden, D; Zuppero, A ^[1]; Redd, L ^[2]

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1. EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
2. USDOE Idaho Field Office, Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

Nuclear power enables or significantly enhances a variety of space missions whether near-Earth, or for solar system exploration, lunar-Mars exploration and recovery of near-Earth resources. Performance optimizations for individual missions leads to a large number of power and propulsion systems to be developed. However, the realities of the budget and schedules indicates that the number of nuclear systems that will be developed are limited. One needs to seek the ``minimum requirements`` to do a job rather than the last ounce of performance, and areas of commonality. To develop a minimum number of systems to meet the overall DoD, NASA, and commercial needs, the broad spectrum of requirements has been examined along with cost drivers.

• Research Organization: EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-76ID01570
• OSTI ID: 10169184
• Report Number(s): EGG-M-93191; CONF-930804-11; ON: DE93016557; TRN: 93:016583
• Resource Relation: Conference: 28. intersociety energy conversion engineering conference,Atlanta, GA (United States),8-13 Aug 1993; Other Information: PBD: [1993]
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
SPACE POWER REACTORS
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
SPACE PROPULSION REACTORS
SPACE
EXPLORATION
MISSION ANALYSIS
USES
MARS SPACE PROBES
LUNA SPACE PROBES
PROPULSION SYSTEMS
SPACE VEHICLES
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
210600
POWER REACTORS, MOBILE, PROPULSION, PACKAGE, AND TRANSPORTABLE