Current design concepts of nuclear reactors for space applications are well advanced in core configurations and architectural design. There is a need to determine how such systems will be monitored and instrumented. We propose here an adaptation of a Wide Range Neutron Detector (WRND) system currently in use at nuclear research facilities for its operation in the space environment. This new system can then be utilized to monitor and control a space-based nuclear power reactor. A non-moving system will be capable of measuring neutron flux and flux rate in the whole reactor's operation range, from a neutron flux of 101 n/cm2 /sec up to a flux of more than 1011 n/cm2 /sec. In this way, a single instrument chain can be used instead of having different instrumentation for each of the operation ranges of the reactor (start-up, ramping-up, and nominal power). This is a clear advantage for space applications where simplicity, reliability, and size constraints are of premium importance. A WRND would allow for a reduction in the complexity of space-based nuclear instrumentation and control systems. A ground version of the proposed system is presently being installed in a research reactor in Australia.
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