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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2019

Space fission power: NASA's best bet to continue to explore the outer solar system

Implementation of balanced, cost-efficient programs to develop power technologies would enable future Voyager- and Cassini-class missions at the outermost planets; open up subsurface missions at Europa, Enceladus, and Titan; and facilitate orbiter and lander missions at Neptune and Triton. A rebalancing of the NASA power technology portfolio could establish the option of using fission power in space. The timing is right for the development of a small nuclear reactor design (such as KRUSTY) that can provide power for multi-year robotic missions and serve as a pathfinder and risk reduction strategy for the larger needs of future human exploration space power systems.

Cassini, John↗
NASA NTRS2012

Development Status of the Fission Power System Technology Demonstration Unit

This paper summarizes the progress that has been made in the development of the Fission Power System Technology Demonstration Unit (TDU). The reactor simulator core and Annular Linear Induction Pump have been fabricated and assembled into a test loop at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. A 12 kWe Power Conversion Unit (PCU) is being developed consisting of two 6 kWe free-piston Stirling engines. The two 6 kWe engines have been fabricated by Sunpower Inc. and are currently being tested separately prior to integration into the PCU. The Facility Cooling System (FCS) used to reject convertor waste heat has been assembled and tested at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC). The structural elements, including a Buildup Assembly Platform (BAP) and Upper Truss Structure (UTS) have been fabricated, and will be used to test cold-end components in thermal vacuum prior to TDU testing. Once all components have been fully tested at the subsystem level, they will be assembled into an end-to-end system and tested in thermal vacuum at GRC.

Briggs, Maxwell H.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Development Status of the Fission Power System Technology Demonstration Unit

This paper summarizes the progress that has been made in the development of the Fission Power System Technology Demonstration Unit (TDU). The reactor simulator core and Annular Linear Induction Pump have been fabricated and assembled into a test loop at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. A 12 kWe Power Conversion Unit (PCU) is being developed consisting of two 6 kWe free-piston Stirling engines. The two 6 kWe engines have been fabricated by Sunpower Inc. and are currently being tested separately prior to integration into the PCU. The Facility Cooling System (FCS) used to reject convertor waste heat has been assembled and tested at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC). The structural elements, including a Buildup Assembly Platform (BAP) and Upper Truss Structure (UTS) have been fabricated, and will be used to test cold-end components in thermal vacuum prior to TDU testing. Once all components have been fully tested at the subsystem level, they will be assembled into an end-to-end system and tested in thermal vacuum at NASA GRC.

Briggs, Maxwell H.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Mars mission concepts incorporating a 3 kWe surface fission power system

A team from JPL and the DOE has recently completed a study to investigate the utility of a 3 kWe surface fission power system for Mars missions. In the course of this study it became clear that the application of such a power system was enabling to a wide variety of potential surface missions.

nuclear reactor Mars Lander cryobot rover↗
NASA NTRS2014

Development of NASA's Small Fission Power System for Science and Human Exploration

Exploration of our solar system has brought great knowledge to our nation's scientific and engineering community over the past several decades. As we expand our visions to explore new, more challenging destinations, we must also expand our technology base to support these new missions. NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate is tasked with developing these technologies for future mission infusion and continues to seek answers to many existing technology gaps. One such technology gap is related to compact power systems (greater than 1 kWe) that provide abundant power for several years where solar energy is unavailable or inadequate. Below 1 kWe, Radioisotope Power Systems have been the workhorse for NASA and will continue, assuming its availability, to be used for lower power applications similar to the successful missions of Voyager, Ulysses, New Horizons, Cassini, and Curiosity. Above 1 kWe, fission power systems become an attractive technology offering a scalable modular design of the reactor, shield, power conversion, and heat transport subsystems. Near term emphasis has been placed in the 1-10kWe range that lies outside realistic radioisotope power levels and fills a promising technology gap capable of enabling both science and human exploration missions. History has shown that development of space reactors is technically, politically, and financially challenging and requires a new approach to their design and development. A small team of NASA and DOE experts are providing a solution to these enabling FPS technologies starting with the lowest power and most cost effective reactor series named "Kilopower" that is scalable from approximately 1-10 kWe.

Solar System↗
NASA NTRS2015

Development of NASA's Small Fission Power System for Science and Human Exploration

Exploration of our solar system has brought many exciting challenges to our nations scientific and engineering community over the past several decades. As we expand our visions to explore new, more challenging destinations, we must also expand our technology base to support these new missions. NASAs Space Technology Mission Directorate is tasked with developing these technologies for future mission infusion and continues to seek answers to many existing technology gaps. One such technology gap is related to compact power systems (1 kWe) that provide abundant power for several years where solar energy is unavailable or inadequate. Below 1 kWe, Radioisotope Power Systems have been the workhorse for NASA and will continue to be used for lower power applications similar to the successful missions of Voyager, Ulysses, New Horizons, Cassini, and Curiosity. Above 1 kWe, fission power systems become an attractive technology offering a scalable modular design of the reactor, shield, power conversion, and heat transport subsystems. Near term emphasis has been placed in the 1-10kWe range that lies outside realistic radioisotope power levels and fills a promising technology gap capable of enabling both science and human exploration missions. History has shown that development of space reactors is technically, politically, and financially challenging and requires a new approach to their design and development. A small team of NASA and DOE experts are providing a solution to these enabling FPS technologies starting with the lowest power and most cost effective reactor series named Kilopower that is scalable from approximately 1-10 kWe.

Heat Transfer↗
NASA NTRS2009

Investigation of Liquid Metal Heat Exchanger Designs for Fission Surface Power

Fission surface power is an option for future Moon and Mars surface missions. High power nuclear reactor heated Stirling convertors are an option to provide reliable power for long duration outpost operations. This report investigates various design approaches for the liquid metal to acceptor heat exchange and clarifies the details used in the analysis.

Dyson, Rodger W.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Design and Test Plans for a Non-Nuclear Fission Power System Technology Demonstration Unit

A joint National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Department of Energy (DOE) team is developing concepts and technologies for affordable nuclear Fission Power Systems (FPSs) to support future exploration missions. A key deliverable is the Technology Demonstration Unit (TDU). The TDU will assemble the major elements of a notional FPS with a non-nuclear reactor simulator (Rx Sim) and demonstrate system-level performance in thermal vacuum. The Rx Sim includes an electrical resistance heat source and a liquid metal heat transport loop that simulates the reactor thermal interface and expected dynamic response. A power conversion unit (PCU) generates electric power utilizing the liquid metal heat source and rejects waste heat to a heat rejection system (HRS). The HRS includes a pumped water heat removal loop coupled to radiator panels suspended in the thermal-vacuum facility. The basic test plan is to subject the system to realistic operating conditions and gather data to evaluate performance sensitivity, control stability, and response characteristics. Upon completion of the testing, the technology is expected to satisfy the requirements for Technology Readiness Level 6 (System Demonstration in an Operational and Relevant Environment) based on the use of high-fidelity hardware and prototypic software tested under realistic conditions and correlated with analytical predictions.

Mason, Lee↗
NASA NTRS2011

Fission Power System Technology for NASA Exploration Missions

Under the NASA Exploration Technology Development Program, and in partnership with the Department of Energy (DOE), NASA is conducting a project to mature Fission Power System (FPS) technology. A primary project goal is to develop viable system options to support future NASA mission needs for nuclear power. The main FPS project objectives are as follows: 1) Develop FPS concepts that meet expected NASA mission power requirements at reasonable cost with added benefits over other options. 2) Establish a hardware-based technical foundation for FPS design concepts and reduce overall development risk. 3) Reduce the cost uncertainties for FPS and establish greater credibility for flight system cost estimates. 4) Generate the key products to allow NASA decisionmakers to consider FPS as a preferred option for flight development. In order to achieve these goals, the FPS project has two main thrusts: concept definition and risk reduction. Under concept definition, NASA and DOE are performing trade studies, defining requirements, developing analytical tools, and formulating system concepts. A typical FPS consists of the reactor, shield, power conversion, heat rejection, and power management and distribution (PMAD). Studies are performed to identify the desired design parameters for each subsystem that allow the system to meet the requirements with reasonable cost and development risk. Risk reduction provides the means to evaluate technologies in a laboratory test environment. Non-nuclear hardware prototypes are built and tested to verify performance expectations, gain operating experience, and resolve design uncertainties.

Mason, Lee↗
NASA NTRS2011

A Small Fission Power System for NASA Planetary Science Missions

In March 2010, the Decadal Survey Giant Planets Panel (GPP) requested a short-turnaround study to evaluate the feasibility of a small Fission Power System (FPS) for future unspecified National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) science missions. FPS technology was considered a potential option for power levels that might not be achievable with radioisotope power systems. A study plan was generated and a joint NASA and Department of Energy (DOE) study team was formed. The team developed a set of notional requirements that included 1-kW electrical output, 15-year design life, and 2020 launch availability. After completing a short round of concept screening studies, the team selected a single concept for concentrated study and analysis. The selected concept is a solid block uranium-molybdenum reactor core with heat pipe cooling and distributed thermoelectric power converters directly coupled to aluminum radiator fins. This paper presents the preliminary configuration, mass summary, and proposed development program.

Mason, Lee↗
NASA NTRS2011

A Small Fission Power System with Stirling Power Conversion for NASA Science Missions

In early 2010, a joint National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Department of Energy (DOE) study team developed a concept for a 1 kWe Fission Power System with a 15-year design life that could be available for a 2020 launch to support future NASA science missions. The baseline concept included a solid block uranium-molybdenum reactor core with embedded heat pipes and distributed thermoelectric converters directly coupled to aluminum radiator fins. A short follow-on study was conducted at NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) to evaluate an alternative power conversion approach. The GRC study considered the use of free-piston Stirling power conversion as a substitution to the thermoelectric converters. The resulting concept enables a power increase to 3 kWe with the same reactor design and scalability to 10 kW without changing the reactor technology. This paper presents the configuration layout, system performance, mass summary, and heat transfer analysis resulting from the study.

Mason, Lee↗
NASA NTRS2019

Update on Radiation Testing for Space Fission Power Systems

Radiation effects on materials and electronics is a major topic that needs to be addressed for a nuclear reactor flight demonstration of the Kilopower reactor. The Kilopower project team has taken steps towards developing a standardized radiation environment qualification program for components and materials. Candidate nuclear reactor facilities for both low fluence electronics and high fluence materials irradiations have been identified and approached. Collaborations are being pursued with both NASA and external experts to ensure that the results of the qualification testing are appropriate and relevant to nuclear fission power flight systems.

Chaiken, Max F.↗
NASA NTRS2012

A Compendium of Brazed Microstructures For Fission Power Systems Applications

NASA has been supporting design studies and technology development for fission-based power systems that could provide power to an outpost on the Moon, Mars, or an asteroid. Technology development efforts have included fabrication and evaluation of components used in a Stirling engine power conversion system. This investigation is part of the development of several braze joints crucial for the heat exchanger transfer path from a hot-side heat exchanger to a Stirling engine heat acceptor. Dissimilar metal joints are required to impart both mechanical strength and thermal path integrity for a heater head of interest. Preliminary design work for the heat exchanger involved joints between low carbon stainless steel to Inconel 718, where the 316L stainless steel would contain flowing liquid metal NaK while Inconel 718, a stronger alloy, would be used as structural reinforcement. This paper addressed the long-term microstructural stability of various braze alloys used to join 316L stainless steel heater head to the high conductivity oxygen-free copper acceptor to ensure the endurance of the critical metallic components of this sophisticated heat exchanger. The bonding of the 316L stainless steel heater head material to a copper heat acceptor is required to increase the heat-transfer surface area in contact with flowing He, which is the Stirling engine working fluid.

Locci, Ivan E.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Development of Stirling Convertors for Radioisotope and Fission Power Systems

NASA has been developing free-piston Stirling-cycle power convertors over the past 22 years for use in nuclear power systems that would provide electricity for space science missions to dark, dusty, or distant destinations where solar power is not practical. These nuclear power systems would generate heat from either the radioactive decay of isotopes or fission nuclear reactors. That heat would be converted to usable electricity using highly efficient Stirling convertors for a wide range of power needs needing 10s of watts to 50 kWe. NASA’s Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS) Program is maturing advanced thermoelectric and dynamic conversion technologies that would increase the system efficiency beyond what is currently possible using heritage systems to enable a larger number of robotic missions or higher power missions to solar system bodies of interest. The Dynamic Radioisotope Power Systems (DRPS) Project has matured prototype Stirling convertors to sufficiently increase the technology readiness level for infusion into flight development. Flexure and gas-bearing free-piston Stirling convertors were developed under contract by commercial partners and delivered to enable government evaluation. Gas-bearing designs have met performance and robustness requirements and were selected for flight development. This paper provides the status of SRSC test campaign and maturity level.

Dynamic↗
NASA NTRS2023

Development of Stirling Convertors for Radioisotope and Fission Power Systems

NASA has been developing free-piston Stirling-cycle power convertors over the past 22 years for use in nuclear power systems that would provide electricity for space science missions to dark, dusty, or distant destinations where solar power is not practical. These nuclear power systems would generate heat from either the radioactive decay of isotopes or fission nuclear reactors. That heat would be converted to usable electricity using highly efficient Stirling convertors for a wide range of power needs needing 10s of watts to 50 kWe. NASA’s Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS) Program is maturing advanced thermoelectric and dynamic conversion technologies that would increase the system efficiency beyond what is currently possible using heritage systems to enable a larger number of robotic missions or higher power missions to solar system bodies of interest. The Dynamic Radioisotope Power Systems (DRPS) Project has matured prototype Stirling convertors to sufficiently increase the technology readiness level for infusion into flight development. Flexure and gas-bearing free-piston Stirling convertors were developed under contract by commercial partners and delivered to enable government evaluation. Gas-bearing designs have met performance and robustness requirements and were selected for flight development. This paper provides the status of SRSC test campaign and maturity level.

Dynamic↗
NASA NTRS2003

A fission powered Mars Telecommunications Orbiter mission concept

This paper details the objectives of the mission, the key constraints that influenced the mission design, and the flight and ground system implementation. Issues that influenced the mission architecture are discussed, as well as the technology assumptions.

space↗
NASA NTRS2000

Space Fission Power and Propulsion Deep Space Exploration

Deep space exploration missions are limited by cost and weight constraints. The presentation will discuss the benefits of using a safe in-space nuclear reactor for power and propulsion. This technology will enable deep space exploration missions, including reaching the heliopause and beyond.

Sackheim, Robert L.↗