Space nuclear power system and the design of the nuclear electric propulsion OTVPayload increases of three to five times that of the Shuttle/Centaur can be achieved using nuclear electric propulsion. Various nuclear power plant options being pursued by the SP-100 Program are described. These concepts can grow from 100 kWe to 1 MWe output. Spacecraft design aspects are addressed, including thermal interactions, plume interactions, and radiation fluences. A baseline configuration is described accounting for these issues. Safety aspects of starting the OTV transfer from an altitude of 300 km indicate no significant additional risk to the biosphere.
Document ID
19840054868
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Buden, D. (Los Alamos National Laboratory Los Alamos, NM, United States)
Garrison, P. W. (California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena CA, United States)