Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space 2011

Home , Fusion power

(NETS-2011)

Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

7-10 February 2011

ISBN: 978-1-61782-846-1 Printed from e-media with permission by:

Curran Associates, Inc. 57 Morehouse Lane Red Hook, NY 12571

Some format issues inherent in the e-media version may also appear in this print version.

Printed by Curran Associates, Inc. (2011)

For permission requests, please contact the American Nuclear Society at the address below.

American Nuclear Society 555 North Kensington Avenue LaGrange Park, Illinois 60526

Phone: (800) 323-3044 (708) 352-6611 Fax: (708) 352-0499 www.ans.org

Additional copies of this publication are available from:

Curran Associates, Inc. 57 Morehouse Lane Red Hook, NY 12571 USA Phone: 845-758-0400 Fax: 845-758-2634 Email: [email protected] Web: www.proceedings.com TABLE OF CONTENTS

NETS-2011 PLENARY SESSIONS

OPENING PLENARY

Technology for Major Renewed Space Exploration ...... 1 H. Finger

Potential Mission Applications for Space Nuclear Systems ...... N/A J. Casani

Current NASA Interest in Space Nuclear Power and Propulsion ...... N/A J. Adams

Radioisotope Power Systems: The Quiet Technology...... 11 R. Lange

Viable Development Strategies for Space Fission Power and Propulsion...... N/A M. Griffin

PLENARY II: SCIENCE MISSIONS ENABLED BY NUCLEAR POWER AND PROPULSION

Space Nuclear Power and Propulsion: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly...... N/A Ralph McNutt

Expanding Science Knowledge: Enabled by Nuclear Power ...... 25 Karla B. Clark

Increased Science Return and Space Nuclear Power...... N/A Richard Ambrosi

TRACK I: MISSIONS AND ARCHITECTURES

MISSION APPLICATIONS FOR FISSION POWER SYSTEMS

"Scotty, I Need More Power" - The Fission System Gateway to Abundant Power for Exploration ...... 43 D. Palac

Extensibility of the Fission Surface Power (FSP) System from the Moon to Mars ...... 54 D. I. Poston

A Small Fission Power System for NASA Planetary Science Missions ...... 62 L. Mason, J. Casani, J. Elliott, J-P. Fleurial, D. MacPherson, B. Nesmith, M. Houts, R. Bechtel, J. Werner, R. Kapernick, D. Poston, A. L. Qualls, R. Lipinski, R. Radel, S. Bailey, A. Weitzberg

Fission Surface Power System Power Control Strategies...... 81 A. L. Qualls, D. J. Walter

NUCLEAR-ENABLED DEEP SPACE MISSIONS

Saturn Ring Observer Concept Architecture Options ...... 92 T. R. Spilker, C. S. Borden, W. Smythe, B. Cole, A. Petropoulos, J. Dankanich, H. Kamhawi, P. Schmitz, L. Mason, J. Elliott, N. Strange, R. Moeller, P. Nicholson, M. Tiscareno, L. Spilker, L. Dudzinski, K. Reh, S. Benson

Trojan Tour Mission Concepts Provide Several Options for Cost-Effective Break-Through Science...... 100 K. E. Hibbard, R. Gold, J. Dankanich, A. Rivkin, M. Schwinger, H. Seifert

Joint Radioisotope Electric Propulsion Studies – Neptune System Explorer ...... 108 M. O. Khan, R. Amini, J. Ervin, J. Lang, D. Landau, S. Oleson, T. Spilker, N. Strange

Uranus Mission Concept Options...... 118 R. Gold, D. A. Eng, Y. Guo, J. Dankanich, E. P. Turtle, S. Oleson, E. Adams, H. Seifert

Kuiper Belt Object Orbiter Using Advanced Radioisotope Power Sources and Electric Propulsion ...... 126 S. Oleson, M. McGuire, J. Dankanich, A. Colozza, P. Schmitz, O. Khan, J. Drexler, J. Fittje

MARS SAMPLE RETURN/ADVANCED CONCEPTS

Feasibility Study of a Three-Stage Radioisotope-Powered Mars Ascent Vehicle...... 134 T. M. Chlapek, R. E. Allen, J. Y. Guan, S. Rao, S. D. Howe

Preliminary Mission Architecture for Mars Sample Return Utilizing Nuclear Thermal Rockets ...... 141 R. E. Allen, B. T. Manning, T. M. Chlapek, J. Y. Guan, S. S. Rao, R. S. Ferrulli, S. D. Howe

In-situ Missions for the Exploration of Titan’s Lakes ...... 149 J. O. Elliott, J. H. Waite

Fusion Power Sources for Mars Exploration ...... 159 G. H. Miley, X. Yang

RADIOISOTOPE THERMAL PROPULSION MISSION APPLICATIONS

Advanced Materials and Optimization of a Radioisotope Thermal Rocket Motor for a Mars Hopper...... 165 H. R. Williams, R. M. Ambrosi, N. P. Bannister, M-C. Perkinson, J. Reed, S. D. Howe, R. C. O’Brien

Development of a Propulsion System and Component Test Facility for Advanced Radioisotope Powered Mars Hopper Platforms...... 173 R. C. O’Brien, N. D. Jerred, S. D. Howe

SPACE RADIATION: EFFECTS AND MITIGATION

Comparisons of Planetary Space Radiation Environments and Effects - A Review ...... 178 H. B. Garrett, M. Kokorowski, R. W. Evans

A Hypothesis on Biological Protection from Space Radiation Through the Use of New Therapeutic Gases...... 186 M. P. Schoenfeld, R. R. Ansari, A. Nakao, D. Wink

Optimization of Interplanetary Transfers of Space Vehicles with Nuclear Thermal Rocket Engine...... 199 O. Dekhtiar, O. Kharytonov

TRACK II: FISSION POWER AND PROPULSION

REACTOR DESIGN

Reactivity Control Options for a Space Fission Power System...... 207 M. Worrall, Z. Shayer

Challenges in Structural Analysis for Deformed Nuclear Criticality Assessments...... 214 D. Villa, T. Tallman, J. Smith

Evaluation of HEU-Beryllium Benchmark Experiments to Improve Computational Analysis of Space Reactors...... 222 J. D. Bess, K. C. Bledsoe, B. C. Rearden

LIQUID METAL TECHNOLOGY

Design of an Annular Linear Induction Pump for Nuclear Space Applications ...... 231 C. O. Maidana, J. E. Werner, D. M. Wachs

Circular Electromagnetic Thermoelectric Pump Simulation ...... 239 E. M. Borges, F. A. Braz-Filho, L. N. F. Guimarães, G. P. Camillo

Sealed Mechanical Pump for High Temperature NaK...... 249 D. E. Bradley

Water-Cooled Electromagnetic Flow Meter for High Temperature NaK ...... 257 D. E. Bradley, D. Childers

HEAT REJECTION TECHNOLOGY

Manufacture, Testing and Model Validation of a Full-Scale Radiator for Fission Surface Power Applications...... 265 D. Ellis, J. Calder, J. Siamidis

Evaluating Heat Pipe Performance in 1/6 g Acceleration: Problems and Prospects...... 279 D. A. Jaworske, T. A. McCollum, M. Gibson, J. L. Sanzi, E. A. Sechkar

Ultra-Light Heat Pipe Radiators for Fission Surface Power...... 286 J. C. Rozzi, J. K. Hilderbrand

Heat Pipes and Heat Rejection Component Testing at NASA-GRC...... 295 J. L. Sanzi, D. A. Jaworske

REACTOR SIMULATION

Calculation of Kinetics Parameters for the Affordable Fission Surface Power Reference Design ...... N/A E. M. Dughie, D. D. Dixon, D. I. Poston

Design and Test of Advanced Thermal Simulators for an Alkali Metal-Cooled Reactor Simulator...... 301 A. E. Garber, J. B. Pearson

Design and Build of Reactor Simulator for Fission Surface Power Technology Demonstrator Unit ...... 311 T. J. Godfroy, R. Dickens, M. Houts, J. B. Pearson, K. Webster, M. Gibson, A. L. Qualls, D. Poston, J. Werner, R. Radel

System Modeling Comparisons of the Fission Surface Power (FSP) System and the FSP Technology Demonstration Unit (TDU) ...... N/A D. I. Poston

TESTING & VALIDATION 1

Performance of a Kilowatt Class Stirling Power Conversion System in a Thermodynamically-Coupled Configuration...... 321 M. Briggs, S. Geng, D. Hervol

Transient Response to Rapid Cooling of a Stainless Steel Sodium Heat Pipe ...... 329 O. Mireles, M. G. Houts

Experimental Studies of NaK in a Simulated Space Environment...... 337 M. A. Gibson, J. L. Sanzi, D. Ljubanovic

Design and Test Plans for a Non-Nuclear Fission Power System Technology Demonstration Unit ...... 347 L. S. Mason, D. Palac, M. Gibson, M. Houts, J. Warren, J. Werner, D. Poston, A. L. Qualls, R. Radel, S. Harlow

TESTING & VALIDATION 2

Material Studies Related to the Use of NaK Heat Exchangers Coupled to Stirling Heater Heads...... 358 I. E. Locci, C. L. Bowman, S. M. Geng, M. G. Robbie

SNAP 10A Safety Test Program...... 369 W. R. Determan, G. A. Johnson, A. J. Zillmer, T. E. Dix, C-Y. Lu, M. Tosca, L. A. Trager

Radiation Specifications for Fission Power Conversion Component Materials ...... 382 C. Bowman, E. E. Shin, O. R. Mireles, R. F. Radel, A. L. Qualls

Post Test Analysis of a Ten Year Sodium Heat Pipe Life Test...... 392 J. H. Rosenfeld, J. L. Sanzi, I. Locci, S. M. Geng

SYSTEM CONCEPTS 1

A Small Fission Power System with Stirling Power Conversion for NASA Science Missions...... 400 L. S. Mason, C. Carmichael

Space Nuclear Power & Propulsion Heritage of Hamilton Sundstrand Rocketdyne and Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne ...... 408 W. R. Determan, G. A. Johnson, A. J. Zillmer, T. E. Dix, C-Y. Lu, M. Tosca, L. A. Trager

Sub-Kilowatt Class Fission Heat Source Thermoelectric Power Study ...... 425 W. R. Determan, G. A. Johnson

The Design and Development of a 12 kWe Stirling Power Conversion Unit for Fission Power Technology Demonstration ...... 447 J. G. Wood, E. Holliday, T. Cale, J. Stanley

SYSTEMS CONCEPTS 2

HTGR Power System Technology for Space Exploration Missions ...... 456 M. Worrall, Z. Shayer

Basic Research and Development Effort to Design a Micro Nuclear Power Plant for Brazilian Space Application ...... 462 L. N. F. Guimaraes, G. P. Camillo, G. M. Placco, A. G. Barrios-Junior, J. Alves Do Nascimento, E. M. Borges, P. David De Castro Lobo

Space Molten Salt Reactor Concept for Nuclear Electric Propulsion and Surface Power...... 471 M. Eades, J. Flanders, N. McMurray, R. Denning, X. Sun, W. Windl, T. Blue

Design of a Low Specific Mass 10 kWe Nuclear Reactor for Space Propulsion...... 484 N. Hoifeldt, R. Ferrulli, L. Sudderth, W. Deason, M. Gupta, J. Reneau, S. D. Howe

TOOLS & MODELING

Modeling Impact-Induced Reactivity Changes Using DAG-MCNP...... 493 B. M. Smith, P. P. H. Wilson

Experimental Correlation of an RPCSIM Model ...... 501 M. D. Carlson, R. F. Radel, K. Mount, S. Wright

Operation of a Closed Brayton Cycle Using Simulated Reactivity Feedback...... 509 T. M. Conboy, R. F. Radel, M. D. Carlson, S. A. Wright

Implementation of a Sage-Based Stirling Model into a System Level Numerical Model of the Fission Power System Technology Demonstration Unit...... 518 M. Briggs

TRACK III: RADIOISOTOPE POWER SYSTEMS

PANEL SESSION: PU-238 SUPPLY AND PRODUCTION

Plutonium-238 Supply...... 523 A. Caponiti, R. Wham

THERMOELECTRIC COMPONENTS AND SYSTEMS

Advanced High Temperature Bulk Thermoelectric Materials ...... N/A J-P. Fleurial, S. K. Bux, C-K. Huang, B. J. Cheng, T. Vo, P. Von Allmen, T. Caillat, Y. Pei, A. Lalonde, A. Zevalkink, E. Toverer, G. J. Snyder, A. F. May, D. J. King, K. E. Star, J. Ma, R. B. Kaner, B. S. Dunn, C. Cox, S. M. Kauzlarich

The Scanning Seebeck Coefficient Technique for Detecting Inhomogeneities in Thermoelectric Materials...... N/A S. Iwanaga, J. Snyder

High Temperature Couple Development for the Advanced Thermoelectric Converter (ATEC) Project...... N/A S. A. Firdosy

Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) Engineering Unit (EU) Testing ...... 529 T. E. Hammel, R. Bennett, W. Otting, L Gard

ISOTOPE HEAT SOURCES

Laser Simulated Re-entry Oxidation Experiments on Possible Replacement Materials for FWPF in 238 PuO2 Fueled Space Power Systems ...... 537 D. P. Kramer, C. D. Barclay, S. M. Goodrich, D. Cairns-Gallimore

Alternative Radioisotopes for Heat and Power Sources...... 543 T. P. Tinsley, M. Sarsfield, T. Rice

Tritium Based Radioisotopic Thermoelectric Generators ...... N/A C. A. Apblett, T. Johnson, A. Shugard, D. Wesolowski, D. Dobranich, N. Spencer, P. Zablocki

STIRLING COMPONENTS & MODELING

Advanced Stirling Convertor (ASC) Technology Maturation in Preparation for Flight ...... 551 W. A. Wong, P. Cornell

Advanced Stirling Convertor (ASC-E2) Performance Testing at NASA Glenn Research Center ...... 562 S. Oriti, S. Wilson

Stirling Convertor Dynamic Analysis Using Phasor Diagrams ...... N/A K. L. Shaler, E. J. Lewandowski

STIRLING SYSTEMS

Natural Convection Cooling of the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator Engineering Unit...... 576 E. J. Lewandowski, D. Hill

Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator Flight Design Project Overview...... 588 T. J. Hoe, D. C. Tantino, J. Chan

The Four-GPHS Stirling Generator: XP300 ...... 597 J. Reyes, M. Britton, J. R. White, J. G. Wood

MECHANICAL, THERMAL & ELECTRICAL INTEGRATION

Mechanical Properties of Advance Thermoelectric Materials and Thermo-Mechanical Modeling of High Efficiency Thermoelectric Couples ...... N/A S. Firdosy

High Thermoelectric Figure of Merit in Heavy-hole Dominated PbTe...... N/A Y. Pei, J. Lensch-Falk

Variable Conductance Heat Pipes for Long-Lived Venus Landers...... 605 C. Tarau, W. G. Anderson, C. J. Peters

Three Practical ESPA-Class and Similar Satellite Sterling Radioisotope Generator Power System Designs...... N/A M. B. Trubilla, S. D. Howe

TESTING, VALIDATION AND ADVANCED POWER CONVERSION

Life Testing of Yb14MnSb11 for High Performance Thermoelectric Couples...... 616 J-A. Paik, E. Brandon, T. Caillat, R. Ewell, J-P. Fleurial

Highly Integrated Quality Assurance - An Empirical Case ...... 623 D. Kirkham, A. Powell, L. Rich

10 kW Radioisotope Power Pulsed Brayton Cycle For Space Application...... 631 S. Morgan, B. Manning, N. Addanki, M. Trubilla, S. D. Howe, J. King

TRACK IV: NUCLEAR THERMAL PROPULSION

FUELS DEVELOPMENT

SPS Fabrication of Tungsten and Tungsten Rhenium Alloys in Support of NTR Fuels Development ...... 642 J. A. Webb, I. Charit, D. P. Butt, M. Frary, M. Carroll

Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) Fuel Element Development and Testing for Future Transportation Systems ...... 649 R. Hickman, W. Emrich, R. Litchford, J. Broadway, M. Shoenfeld, M. Houts, J. Martin, J. B. Pearson

A Combined Neutronic-Thermal Hydraulic Model of a Tungsten CERMET NTR Fuel Element...... 658 J. A. Webb, B. Gross, W. Taitano

TESTING

Hyperthermal Environments Simulator for Nuclear Thermal Rocket Fuels Development...... 666 R. Litchford, J. Foote, W. B. Clifton, R. Hickman, T-S. Wang, C. Dobson

An Overview of Facilities and Capabilities to Support the Development of Nuclear Thermal Propulsion ...... 676 J. E. Werner, S. Bhattacharyya, M. Houts

NERVA-Derived Concept for a Bimodal Nuclear Thermal Rocket - An Update ...... 687 C. R. Joyner, P. Gill, D. J. Levack, C-Y. Lu

SYSTEMS PERFORMANCE

Thermal-hydraulics Analysis of a Radioisotope-Powered Mars Hopper Propulsion System ...... 695 R. C. O’Brien, A. C. Klein, W. T. Taitano, J. Gibson, B. Myers, S. D. Howe

Exergy Analysis of Two Proposed Mars Hopper Propulsion Configurations ...... 703 J. Hasenoehrl, J. Crepeau

The Mars Hopper: A Radioisotope Powered, Impulse Driven, Long-Range, Long-Lived Mobile Platform for Exploration of Mars ...... 709 S. D. Howe, R. C. O’Brien, W. Taitano, D. Crawford, N. Jerred, S. Cooley, J. Crepeau, S. Hansen, A. Klein, J. Werner

TRACK V: ADVANCED CONCEPTS

ADVANCED NUCLEAR SYSTEMS CONCEPTS

Self-Fueling Fusion Hybrid Reactor for Space Power and Propulsion ...... 720 T. Kammash

Fusion Space Propulsion Using Fast-Ignition Inertial Confinement Fusion (FI-ICF)...... 726 G. H. Miley, X. Yang, K. A. Flippo, H. Hora

A Method for Improving the Efficiency of Energy Amplifiers with Multiple Subcritical Cores...... 732 L. Beveridge

MULTI-MEGAWATT FISSION REACTOR CONCEPTS

Multi-MW Closed Cycle MHD Nuclear Space Power via Nonequilibrium He/Xe Working Plasma ...... 737 R. Litchford, N. Harada

Trade Studies for a 20 MWe Low Specific Mass Nuclear Power System for Space Propulsion ...... 746 W. Deason, R. Ferrulli, M. Gupta, N. Hoifeldt, J. Reneau, L Sudderth

A Conceptual Multi-Megawatt Reactor System Based on a Tungsten CERMET Reactor...... 766 J. Webb, B. Gross

Author Index