Figure 1
Time and power applicability regimes for various space power sources (McClure and Poston 2013McClure PR, Poston D (2013) Design and testing of small nuclear reactors for defense applications. Invited Talk to ANS Trinity Section; Santa Fe, USA.).
Figure 2
SP-100 nuclear power system (Angelo Jr. and Buden 1985Angelo Jr. J, Buden D (1985) Space nuclear power. Malabar: Robert E Krieger Pub. Co.).
Figure 3
TE element components.
Figure 4
Nuclear subsystem schematic (Angelo Jr. and Buden 1985Angelo Jr. J, Buden D (1985) Space nuclear power. Malabar: Robert E Krieger Pub. Co.).
Figure 5
Typical SPAR/SP-100 fuel module (Angelo Jr. and Buden 1985Angelo Jr. J, Buden D (1985) Space nuclear power. Malabar: Robert E Krieger Pub. Co.).
Figure 6
SPAR/SP-100 reactor core section view (Angelo Jr. and Buden 1985Angelo Jr. J, Buden D (1985) Space nuclear power. Malabar: Robert E Krieger Pub. Co.).
Figure 7
SPAR/SP-100 heat pipe cross section with artery wick configuration (Angelo Jr. and Buden 1985Angelo Jr. J, Buden D (1985) Space nuclear power. Malabar: Robert E Krieger Pub. Co.).
Figure 8
Typical high temperature heat pipe performance curve (Angelo Jr. and Buden 1985Angelo Jr. J, Buden D (1985) Space nuclear power. Malabar: Robert E Krieger Pub. Co.).
Figure 9
100 kWe SP-100 high temperature reactor with thermoelectric power conversion concept (
El-Genk 2009El-Genk MS (2009) Deployment history and design considerations for space reactor power systems. Acta Astronautica 64(9-10):833-849. doi: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2008.12.016
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2008...
).
Figure 10
SP-100 reactor components (
Demuth 2003Demuth SF (2003) SP 100 Space Reactor Design. Progress in nuclear energy 42(3):323-359. doi: 10.1016/S0149-1970(03)90003-5
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0149-1970(03)90...
)
Figure 11
SP-100 functional layout (
Demuth 2003Demuth SF (2003) SP 100 Space Reactor Design. Progress in nuclear energy 42(3):323-359. doi: 10.1016/S0149-1970(03)90003-5
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0149-1970(03)90...
).
Figure 12
Prometheus DSV isometric view (
Ashcroft and Eshelman 2007Ashcroft J, Eshelman C (2007) Summary of NR program Prometheus efforts. Presented at: Space Technology and Applications International Forum. AIP Conference Proceedings; Maryland, USA. doi: 10.1063/1.2437490
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2437490...
).
Figure 13
Fuel pin components (
Ashcroft and Eshelman 2007Ashcroft J, Eshelman C (2007) Summary of NR program Prometheus efforts. Presented at: Space Technology and Applications International Forum. AIP Conference Proceedings; Maryland, USA. doi: 10.1063/1.2437490
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2437490...
).
Figure 14
Reactor vessel section view. He-Xe flow is represented by the lines: blue ones are for fluid that has not flown through in between fuel elements, while red ones are for the fluid regions in fuel pins interstices.
Figure 15
Prometheus reactor with four Brayton engines schematic (
Ashcroft and Eshelman 2007Ashcroft J, Eshelman C (2007) Summary of NR program Prometheus efforts. Presented at: Space Technology and Applications International Forum. AIP Conference Proceedings; Maryland, USA. doi: 10.1063/1.2437490
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2437490...
).
Figure 16
Block diagram of Prometheus thermohydraulics.
Figure 17
FSP Technology Concept (Mason and Houts 2010Mason LS, Houts MG (2010) Fission Surface Power Technology Development Update. (TM-2011-216976). NASA Technical Report.).
Figure 18
Plan view of the FSP reference reactor (Poston et al. 2009Poston DI, Kapernick RJ, Dixon DD, Werner J, Qualls L, Radel R (2009) Reference reactor module design for NASA's lunar surface power system. Presented at: Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space; Atlanta, USA.).
Figure 19
3D view of the FSP reference reactor (Briggs et al. 2014Briggs MH, Gibson MA, Geng SM (2014) Status update for the fission surface power technology demonstration unit. Presented at: Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space; Albuquerque, USA.).
Figure 20
Notional layout of FSP component above shield (Poston et al. 2009Poston DI, Kapernick RJ, Dixon DD, Werner J, Qualls L, Radel R (2009) Reference reactor module design for NASA's lunar surface power system. Presented at: Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space; Atlanta, USA.).
Figure 21
FSP Preliminary Reference Concept Schematic (Mason 2010Mason L (2010) Recent advances in power conversion and heat rejection technology for fission surface power. Presented at: Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space 2009; Atlanta, USA.).
Figure 22
TDU Initial Concept Block Diagram (Mason 2010Mason L (2010) Recent advances in power conversion and heat rejection technology for fission surface power. Presented at: Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space 2009; Atlanta, USA.).
Figure 23
TDU initial concept key performance requirements (Mason 2010Mason L (2010) Recent advances in power conversion and heat rejection technology for fission surface power. Presented at: Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space 2009; Atlanta, USA.).
Figure 24
TDU test layout 2D view (Mason 2010Mason L (2010) Recent advances in power conversion and heat rejection technology for fission surface power. Presented at: Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space 2009; Atlanta, USA.).
Figure 25
TDU test layout 3D view (Briggs et al. 2014Briggs MH, Gibson MA, Geng SM (2014) Status update for the fission surface power technology demonstration unit. Presented at: Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space; Albuquerque, USA.).
Figure 26
Schematic of the TDU as-built configuration (
Briggs et al. 2016Briggs MH, Gibson MA, Geng S, Sanzi J (2016) Fission surface power technology demonstration unit test results. Presented at: 14th International Energy Conversion Engineering Conference; Salt Lake City, USA. doi: 10.2514/6.2016-5012
https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2016-5012...
).
Figure 27
FSP TDU installed in Vacuum Facility 6 at GRC (
Briggs et al. 2016Briggs MH, Gibson MA, Geng S, Sanzi J (2016) Fission surface power technology demonstration unit test results. Presented at: 14th International Energy Conversion Engineering Conference; Salt Lake City, USA. doi: 10.2514/6.2016-5012
https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2016-5012...
).
Figure 28
Space nuclear mass-to-power performance map (Mason et al. 2013Mason L, Gibson MA, Poston D (2013) Killowatt-class fission power systems for science and human precursor missions. (TM-2013-216541). NASA Technical Report.).
Figure 29
Proposed HP cooled - Stirling Engine Reac-tor for Space Applications (Poston et al. 2013Poston DI, Kapernick RJ, Dixon DD, Werner J, Qualls L, Radel R (2009) Reference reactor module design for NASA's lunar surface power system. Presented at: Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space; Atlanta, USA.).
Figure 30
Kilopower proposed Nuclear Subsystem (Poston et al. 2013Poston DI, McClure PR, Dixon DD, Gibson MA (2013) The DUFF experiment - what was learned? Presented at: Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space; Albuquerque, USA.).
Figure 31
Section of heat pipe (Gibson et al. 2013Gibson M, Briggs MH, Sanzi JL, Brace MH (2013) Heat pipe powered Stirling conversion for the Demonstration Using Flattop Fissions (DUFF) test. (TM-2013-216542). NASA Technical Report.).
Figure 32
Buzz Stirling engines used for DUFF experiment (Gibson et al. 2013Gibson M, Briggs MH, Sanzi JL, Brace MH (2013) Heat pipe powered Stirling conversion for the Demonstration Using Flattop Fissions (DUFF) test. (TM-2013-216542). NASA Technical Report.).
Figure 33
Flattop critical experiment assembly (Poston et al. 2013Poston DI, McClure PR, Dixon DD, Gibson MA (2013) The DUFF experiment - what was learned? Presented at: Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space; Albuquerque, USA.)
Figure 34
Flattop reactor diagram (Gibson et al. 2013Gibson M, Briggs MH, Sanzi JL, Brace MH (2013) Heat pipe powered Stirling conversion for the Demonstration Using Flattop Fissions (DUFF) test. (TM-2013-216542). NASA Technical Report.).
Figure 35
Experimental Data (continuous lines) and FRINK results (dashed lines) from September 13th run (Poston et al. 2013Poston DI, McClure PR, Dixon DD, Gibson MA (2013) The DUFF experiment - what was learned? Presented at: Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space; Albuquerque, USA.).
Figure 36
Experimental Data (continuous lines) and FRINK (dashed lines) results from September 18th run (Poston et al. 2013Poston DI, McClure PR, Dixon DD, Gibson MA (2013) The DUFF experiment - what was learned? Presented at: Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space; Albuquerque, USA.).
Figure 37
Data from DUFF September 13th run (Poston et al. 2013Poston DI, McClure PR, Dixon DD, Gibson MA (2013) The DUFF experiment - what was learned? Presented at: Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space; Albuquerque, USA.).
Figure 38
Data from DUFF September 18th run (Poston et al. 2013Poston DI, McClure PR, Dixon DD, Gibson MA (2013) The DUFF experiment - what was learned? Presented at: Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space; Albuquerque, USA.).
