ADVANCED RADIOISOTOPE POWER SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT FOR NASA MISSIONS 2011 AND BEYOND

摘要

NASA's Office of Space Science requested JPL to lead an assessment of advanced power technologies to enable future NASA Space Science missions. This paper summarizes the result of reviewing the power requirements for future NASA deep space and Mars science missions and providing a technical assessment of candidate advanced radioisotope power system (ARPS) technologies for these missions, including technology road maps. Uncertainties in the lifetime performance of ARPS conversion technologies as well as in the future supply of Pu-238 dictate that several technologies need to be further developed before selecting the optimal one for implementation. It is recommended that the Advanced Stirling Engine Converter (ASEC), Alkali Metal Thermal to Electric Converter (AMTEC) and Segmented Thermoelectric Converter (STEC) technologies be funded with continuation based on yearly detailed technical progress reviews. Selection of an optimum conversion technology would be based on demonstrated technical progress towards meeting NASA's future mission requirements for deep space science missions beyond 2011.