Radioisotope Power Systems: Considerations for use of Dynamic versus Static Conversion Technologies for NASA Missions
For more than five decades, Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS) have played a critical role in the exploration of space, enabling missions of scientific discovery to destinations across the solar system by providing electrical power to explore remote, challenging and extreme environments. In particular, RPS enable deep space missions where increased heliocentric distances reduce the ability of solar power to adequately meet spacecraft and instruments power requirements. Some previous notable missions that were enabled by RPS include Nimbus III, the Apollo Sur-face Experiments, the Pioneers 10 and 11, the Viking Mars Landers, Galileo, Ulysses, Cassini, New Horizons and Curiosity. The current operating set of missions that are enabled by RPS are Voyagers 1 and 2, Cassini, New Hori-zons, and Curiosity. The Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermal Generator (MMRTG) is the current RPS used for mis-sions. An enhanced version of this generator outfitted with higher efficiency thermoelectrics is under development for potential use in the future. There are also current development efforts underway by NASA to explore dynamic power conversion systems such as Brayton and Stirling. This paper will compare and contrast the pros and cons of a generalized dynamic system with the current state-of-the-art thermoelectric static conversion system. The reason for this paper is to calmly analyze the pros and cons so that all the pertinent factors are placed under the same examination light with equal brightness. As with any purchase made the “newness” of certain items sometimes overrides a needed desire to fully vet all characteristics of the merchandise so that the best choice is made. The following areas will be specifically examined and discussed as they may impact the choice of radioisotope power system for a specific mission: • Projected power output to weight ratio (We/kg) • Amount of Pu-238 required per a fixed power output • Excess heat available to be rejected or used • Fueling operations during assembly by the Department of Energy (DOE) • Planetary protection protocol during fueling and testing of RPS • Transportation operations from DOE assembly site to Kennedy Space Center (KSC) • Remote operations at KSC prior to launch during Assembly Test and Launch Operations (ATLO) phase o Timing of the placement of the RPS onto spacecraft/rover o Off-normal operations at KSC
- Research Organization:
- Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), Office of Space and Defense Power Systems (NE-75)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC07-05ID14517
- OSTI ID:
- 1478765
- Report Number(s):
- INL/CON-17-42559-Rev002
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 15th International Conference on Space Operations, Marseille, France, 05/28/2018 - 06/01/2018
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Cost Comparison in 2015 Dollars for Radioisotope Power Systems -- Cassini and Mars Science Laboratory
Production of {sup 238}PuO{sub 2} heat sources for the Cassini mission