New Concepts for Compact Space Reactor Power Systems for Space Based Radar Applications: A Feasibility Study

This report contains the results of a feasibility study on new concepts for compact space reactor power systems for space based radar applications. Notwithstanding the limited scope and duration of the study, the results, which include innovative space reactor configurations and associated technologies indicate promising avenues for the development of compact space reactors. The goal of this work focused on development of new and innovative reactor concepts. Consequently, existing reactor designs, such as the SP-100, are not discussed here, although such power systems are also candidates for space based radar applications. Ongoing studies on potential future military missions indicate that extremely compact nuclear reactor systems with low specific mass will be required to provide power in the tens to hundreds of kilowatts electric range. Three new compact reactor concepts are described in this report. These concepts have emerged from an attempt to produce reactor designs that require minimum volume and mass, while making maximum use of available technology. Of the three concepts, two Concepts A and B include energy storage subsystems and one does not Concept C. Concepts A and B involve operation at high power levels for short durations during which energy is stored and then rejected via radiation during the remainder of the orbit cycle. In Concept C the reactor operates continually.