Galileo light-weight radioisotope heater units design and safety analysis
- EG and G Mound Applied Technologies, Miamisburg, OH (USA)
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
The Light-Weight Radioisotope Heater Unit (LWRHU) provides thermal energy to temperature sensitive components aboard the orbiter/probe of the Galileo Spacecraft during its multiyear interplanetary mission. Heat is derived from the radioisotopic decay of 238-plutonium. A power of 0.56 watts/gram of radioisotope, a half-life of 88 years, and no moving parts permitted a robust, long-lived, compact heat source design. A single l-w design provided small thermal increments, with options in the number and placement, to satisfy the needed thermal environment for the spacecraft components. Radioisotope use in these devices necessitated the assessment of postulated radiological risks in accidents or malfunctions of the space shuttle or the Galileo spacecraft during near earth mission phases. Included in this document are data for the design, postulated accidents with their consequences, test data, and the derived source terms and personnel exposures for the various events. 5 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE/NE
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36; AC04-88DP43495
- OSTI ID:
- 6649215
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-90-2164; CONF-901101-16; ON: DE90013151
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: American Nuclear Society winter meeting, Washington, DC (USA), 11-15 Nov 1990
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Light-Weight Radioisotope Heater Unit final safety analysis report (LWRHU-FSAR): Volume 1: A. Introduction and executive summary: B. Reference Design Document (RDD)
Light-Weight Radioisotope Heater Unit Safety Analysis Report (LWRHU-SAR). Volume I. A. Introduction and executive summary. B. Reference Design Document (RDD)
Related Subjects
RADIOISOTOPE HEAT SOURCES
DESIGN
SAFETY
SPACE VEHICLES
ACCIDENTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
PLUTONIUM 238
PLUTONIUM DIOXIDE
RADIATION DOSES
SOURCE TERMS
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CHALCOGENIDES
DOSES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
HEAT SOURCES
HEAVY ION DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
NUCLEI
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIOISOTOPES
SILICON 32 DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS
VEHICLES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
070300* - Isotopic Power Supplies
070500 - Isotope & Radiation Source Technology- Health & Safety- (1990-)