Program Plan for the Brayton Isotope Power System. Phase I. Design, Fabrication and Test of the Brayon Isotope Power System.

摘要

This program plan covers Phase I of an overall program for the development of a 500 to 2000 W/sub e/ (EOM), 7-year life, power system for space vehicles. The system uses a closed Brayton dynamic system to convert energy from an isotope heat source at a net efficiency greater than 25 percent. This first phase, a 35-months effort, is for the conceptual design of a 1300 W/sub e/, 450 lb flight system and the design, fabrication, and test of a ground demonstration system. The flight system will use, for the baseline design, two of the multihundred-watt (MHW) heat sources being developed for the ERDA by the General Electric Company. The Ground Demonstration System will simulate, as closely as possible, the Brayton Isotope Power Flight System and will utilize components and technology being developed by NASA for the Mini-Brayton rotating unit, recuperator and heat source assembly, respectively. The Ground Demonstration System includes a performance test and a 1000-hour endurance test.