Engineering:SP-100
From HandWiki
SP-100 (Space reactor Prototype[1]) was a U.S. research program for nuclear fission reactors usable as small fission power systems for spacecraft. It was started in 1983 by NASA, the US Department of Energy and other agencies.[2]
A reactor was developed with heat pipes transporting the heat to thermoelectric generators. It was cooled with lithium.[3] The project never advanced to flight hardware and was terminated in 1994.[4]
See also
- Systems Nuclear Auxiliary Power Program and SNAP-10A, that flew in 1965
- Safe Affordable Fission Engine, a later project
- Kilopower, a later small space reactor
References
- ↑ Acronyms: SP-100 means Space reactor prototype
- ↑ SP-100, the US Space Nuclear Reactor Power Program, Technical information report. Available at Energy Citations Database
- ↑ Stănculescu, Adrian (2005). The Role of Nuclear Power and Nuclear Propulsion in the Peaceful Exploration. Vienna: International Atomic Energy Agency. pp. 21–22. ISBN 92-0-107404-2. http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1197_web.pdf. Retrieved 2009-02-24.
- ↑ Mason, Lee; Bailey, Sterling; Bechtel, Ryan; Elliott, John; Fleurial, Jean-Pierre; Houts, Mike; Kapernick, Rick; Lipinski, Ron et al. (18 November 2010). "Small Fission Power System Feasibility Study — Final Report". NASA/DOE. http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=32899.0;attach=543853. Retrieved 3 October 2015. "The SP-100 program objective was to develop the technologies needed for a broad range of space missions requiring a high power-to-weight ratio with nominal 100 kWe power output. The program began in 1982 and was terminated by Congress in 1994. A high temperature (1350 K) refractory alloy heat transport system with thermoelectric power conversion was designed, uranium nitride fuel was fabricated and irradiated to 6% burnup, and significant amounts of hardware and electronics were successfully tested."
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