Mass and Performance Trends of Space Nuclear Power Systems

摘要

A survey of space nuclear power systems-including the historical Space Nuclear Auxiliary Power (SNAP)10A, the Russian orbital space power reactors, and space power reactor designs (the series of SNAP reactors, as well as SNAP Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs), SP100, multi-megawatt systems, etc.)—was conducted to reveal trends of specific mass (Alpha) suitable for first-order sizing of hypothetical nuclear space power systems for future missions and their derivatives, such as auxiliary power systems and extraterrestrial surface nuclear power. A convenient correlation was found, of the form Alpha = E1/Sqrt(kWe), that fits a wide variety of nuclear power sources, with a single value of E that can be used for generalized sizing estimates. The correlation was extended to address thrust-to-mass trends of nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) systems being pursued for possible future main propulsion. Based on thrust computed from power and Isp of such systems, a useful correlation, of the form T/M = E2 *(kWe)^E3, was found.