NASA to Discuss Demonstration of New Space Exploration Power System

[Elderberry]

NASA April 18, 2018
MEDIA ADVISORY M18-062

https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-to-discuss-demonstration-of-new-space-exploration-power-system


Media are invited to attend a news conference at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland at 9:15 a.m. EDT Wednesday, May 2, to discuss a recent experiment to demonstrate a new nuclear reactor power system designed for space.

News conference audio and presentation slides will stream live on NASA’s website.

Kilopower could provide safe, efficient and plentiful energy for future robotic and human space exploration missions to the Moon, Mars and destinations beyond. The experiment was conducted November 2017 through March 2018 at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS).

News conference participants include:

    James Reuter, acting associate administrator of NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate
    Janet Kavandi, Glenn center director
    Patrick Cahalane, principal deputy associate administrator for Safety, Infrastructure and Operations at the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
    Marc Gibson, Kilopower lead engineer at Glenn
    Dave Poston, chief reactor designer at NNSA’s Los Alamos National Laboratory

Following the news conference, media will have the opportunity to tour the following facilities at Glenn:

    Stirling Research Lab, where early Kilopower-related tests were conducted
    Electric Propulsion Lab, used to test high-power solar electric propulsion that will be used to develop the power and propulsion element of NASA’s lunar outpost
    Simulated Lunar Operations Lab, where NASA develops planetary rover tires and tools for in-situ resource utilization, a process for generating water, oxygen, and other products using space-based resources

Media interested in participating in the event, in person or by phone, must send their name, media affiliation and phone number to Jan Wittry at jan.m.wittry-1@nasa.gov no later than noon Tuesday, May 1.

Media and the public also can ask questions during the briefing on social media using #AskNASA.

Supporting images and video will be available online at:

https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/kilopower

The Kilopower project is part of NASA’s Game Changing Development program and is led by Glenn, in partnership with NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, Los Alamos National Laboratory, NNSS and Y-12 National Security Complex.

[Elderberry]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KRUSTY

KRUSTY or Kilopower Reactor Using Stirling Technology is a NASA project aimed at producing a new design for nuclear reactors for space travel.[1] The project started in October 2015.[2] Kilopower reactors will come in a variety of sizes able to produce from one to 10 kilowatts of electrical power, continuously for 10 years or more.[3] The fission reactor uses Uranium-235 to generate heat that is carried to the Stirling converters via passive sodium heat pipes.[4]

As of September 2017 a test reactor has been constructed. It is designed to produce up to 1 kilowatt of electric power and is about 6.5 feet tall (1.9 meters).[5] The prototype Kilopower uses a solid, cast uranium-235 reactor core, about the size of a paper towel roll. Reactor heat is transferred via passive sodium heat pipes, with the heat being converted to electricity by Stirling engines. Testing to gain TRL 5 started in November 2017 and continued into 2018.[3]

Kilowatt Reactor Using Stirling. TechnologY (KRUSTY) Experiment. Update. March 2017. Rene Sanchez. Los Alamos National Laboratory. Advanced Nuclear Technology Group NEN-2   
https://ncsp.llnl.gov/TPRAgendas/2017/26_Sanchez_KRUSTY_MAR2017_R1.pdf

[kevindavis007]

They better hurry before the Anti Nukes in Space numnuts try to shut it down.

[Joe Wooten]

The biggest problem I see with the kilopower system is the moving part of the Stirling engine and generator. They will wear out over the years and fail. The biggest advantage of the existing nuclear batteries is they have no moving parts and it will generate power as long as the fuel can fission and create heat. nothing to wear out.

It's biggest advantage is that it can be scaled up into the kilowatt power range and power bigger probes, but it will be very hard to have them last as long as the Voyager and Pioneer probes did. Bigger probes will also need bigger active control systems with more fuel and will not last as long.

[Joe Wooten]

They better hurry before the Anti Nukes in Space numnuts try to shut it down.

They have not had much luck shutting the others down. The Christic Institute failed every time it tried. I'd get 'em into production, and launch multiple probes in a short time and force them to spend all their money and energy on frantic frivolous lawsuits that will make them look bad.