NASA and DOE to test kilopower nuclear reactor for space applications

Mars_B4_Moon · 2023-04-02 11:45:49

O'Shaughnessy Ventures announces investment in Atomos Space
https://www.spacedaily.com/reports/OSha … e_999.html
O'Shaughnessy Ventures LLC ("OSV"), a creative investment firm, has invested in Atomos Nuclear and Space Corporation.

Since its founding in late 2017 by Vanessa Clark and William Kowalski, Atomos Space has worked to revolutionize space logistics by developing and operating orbital transfer vehicles ("OTVs") to perform orbit-raising, precision insertion, phasing, and plane change services for satellites.

Atomos aims to enable more commercial companies to operate in space dynamically and sustainably. Whether placing new satellites in their operating orbit or moving old satellites to new missions, Atomos makes space more mobile.

A key aspect of Atomos' space-resident OTVs is their ability to rendezvous with and dock to client satellites in orbit. Atomos will demonstrate this critical capability in the first mission, which launches in January 2024.

"OSV immediately recognized the value of our orbital transfer vehicle services, as well as valuing who we are - our culture, scrappiness, and creative, technical approach," commented co-founder Clark. "We are thrilled to welcome OSV to our team and excited to have its support to make our orbital transfer vehicles a reality."

SpaceNut · 2023-04-02 14:54:05

As I noted Rolles Royce has drawn to a close....

Mars_B4_Moon · 2023-04-08 16:42:42

People have considered designs for a long time, once considered after Sputnik in 1958 before NASA existed, Eisenhower 34th president of the United States 1953–61

It seems some are considering a hybrid system NEP system, Nuclear Ion and NTR, a Nuclear Robot to the Moon or Mars is talked about online.

Various power sources discussed and appearing in news items

Inside Nasa's ambitious plan to get humans onto Mars in just 45 days in 'next giant leap'
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/us-news/i … s-29601264
NASA's ambitious "Moon to Mars Program Office" office was unveiled at their headquarters in Washington, US, yesterday which aims to get the first humans to Mars in just 45 days

NASA Details Strategy Behind Blueprint for Moon to Mars Exploration
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-detai … xploration

“Nuclear power has the potential to dramatically increase the duration of future Lunar missions and their scientific value,” UK Space Agency says.
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/03/17/uk-back … -moon.html
Rolls-Royce has been working on a Micro-Reactor program “to develop technology that will provide power needed for humans to live and work on the Moon.”

China tests a Stirling engine in orbit
https://phys.org/news/2023-04-china-stirling-orbit.html

When paired with a nuclear reactor as a power source, Sterling engines could allow for long-duration stays on the moon and Mars, augmenting solar power, batteries, fuel cells, and other conventional power sources. NASA is currently researching the technology as part of its Kilopower Reactor Using Sterling Technology (KRUSTY) experiment, which evolved from previous efforts to develop nuclear power applications for space exploration. NASA and DARPA recently announced a partnership to test a prototype nuclear thermal propulsion system in space (scheduled for 2027).

So we are now in current era

Calliban wrote:

This is enough to develop a concept design, but nowhere near enough to develop actual hardware.

NASA is not budget cutting Mars....not yet anyways, the British have invested not much but it is still an investment, Chinese want to be there.

Project Prometheus or Project Promethian was established in 2003 by NASA to develop nuclear-powered systems for long-duration space missions

old ideas looked at with new eyes and a 2027-2033 Deadline?

https://www.scientificamerican.com/arti … s-to-mars/

Last edited by Mars_B4_Moon (2023-04-08 16:47:37)

tahanson43206 · 2023-04-08 17:06:15

For Mars_B4_Moon re #103

Thanks for the link to the "new eyes" article ...

Of course, DARPA alone cannot spark a spaceflight revolution. Nuclear propulsion for space exploration is a whole-of-government effort. At minimum, the Department of Energy will need to make more low-enriched uranium. One agency or another—most likely, several working together—will have to develop orbital fuel depots to provide outbound missions with cryogenic propellants and will have to find better, safer ways to perform ground tests of interplanetary-scale propulsion systems. And then NASA must actually build the rockets.

(th)

Mars_B4_Moon · 2023-06-23 05:04:38

Solar Panel Robots and Mini Nuclear Reactors Could Power NASA’s Future Moon Base

https://spaceref.com/newspace-and-tech/ … moon-base/

Space robotics company Astrobotic Technology and electric power behemoth Westinghouse are joining forces to develop nuclear power for NASA and the Department of Defense to use in outer space, with the two companies announcing the collaboration in a memorandum of understanding on June 1. The result of the two Pennsylvania companies’ collaboration may help NASA return to the Moon — this time to stay — as well as power future missions to Mars.
NASA — as well as other space agencies — has its eyes set on the lunar South Pole. Setting this as the destination for its Artemis Moon program makes a lot of sense from a scientific point of view. The mountainous and cratered terrain shelters the region from a low Sun angle, meaning there exist areas in permanent deep shadow, where frozen water ice has lurked silently for millions of years, offering scientists a window into the early days of the Moon, the Earth, and the solar system. The presence of water ice also provides raw material NASA astronauts can use to practice creating potable water, rocket fuel, and other essentials — what NASA calls “in situ resource utilization” — that can not only enable long-term habitation of a planned lunar base camp, but may be essential for later missions to Mars.
But the same terrain features that make the lunar South Pole interesting also make it difficult to manage. A bright Sun that’s low on the horizon will cast long, deep shadows that can render solar power systems inconsistent. That’s where nuclear power comes in. Westinghouse was already developing a new type of nuclear fission reactor for terrestrial use it calls the eVinci microreactor: a prefabricated, modular approach to nuclear fission power that generates modest amounts of usable energy with minimal external infrastructure. And now, the company will work with Astrobotics to find ways to develop an energy infrastructure for the lunar surface. While neither company has elaborated on what the specifics of the partnership will look like, there are hints that they’ll explore pairing the eVinci microreactor with the LunaGrid power grid being developed by Astrobotics.
The two companies are no strangers to developing energy systems for NASA. Westinghouse was one of three companies awarded $5 million contracts by NASA in June 2022 to develop nuclear power systems for NASA’s Fission Surface Power project, the other two being aerospace giant Lockheed Martin and the Houston Texas based-IX. Astrobotic, meanwhile, was one of three companies to win $6.2 to $7 million NASA contracts to further develop solar array systems for Moon missions in August of 2022. The other two winners were Honeybee Robotics of Brooklyn, New York, and, again, Lockheed Martin.

Designing a fission microreactor for space

One of the major pros to the eVinci microreactor is that it can basically operate autonomously,” without an on-site human operator, MIT nuclear scientist and engineer Jacopo Buongiorno told SpaceRef. Such autonomous operation is a valuable trait for a power source on the Moon or Mars, where no astronaut will be able to afford to dedicate all their time to managing a power plant, he says. Also beneficial is the eVinci’s compact size. “This thing fits within a standard shipping container,” Buongiorno says.

Buongiorno is not involved with the new collaboration between Westinghouse and Astrobotic, but has been familiar with the eVinci design since 2018, when he says Westinghouse was first developing the reactor for the US Department of Defense....

https://spaceref.com/newspace-and-tech/ … moon-base/
> article link

SpaceNut · 2023-06-23 15:28:50

I would assume that hookup to grid of the site is not going to be automated and even the activation would require a startup power source to do remote activation.

Mars_B4_Moon · 2023-08-03 06:55:39

NASA and DARPA Award Contract for a Nuclear Engine to Lockheed Martin
https://www.universetoday.com/162560/na … ed-martin/

as for previous

I would like to make a correction to my 'NASA is not budget cutting Mars' statement
There are lots of questions now about MSR, why the mission has not happened yet, the costs and delay.

Last edited by Mars_B4_Moon (2023-08-03 06:57:15)

Mars_B4_Moon · 2023-08-04 02:55:56

Fraser Cain video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_Zoxpv9b3w

QUOTE
A particularly promising technology is Nuclear-Thermal Propulsion (NTP), which has the potential to reduce transit times to Mars significantly. Instead of the usual one-way transit period of six to nine months, a working NTP system could reduce the travel time to between 100 and 45 days!

a quote from the UniverseToday article

In January of this year, NASA and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced that they were launching an interagency agreement to develop a nuclear-thermal propulsion (NTP) system – known as the Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO). Just yesterday, DARPA announced that it had finalized an agreement with Lockheed Martin to design and build a prototype NTR system – the Experimental NTR Vehicle (X-NTRV) – that will be sent to space for testing by 2027.
The announcement was followed by a live media teleconference held by NASA and DARPA at 01:00 PM EDT (10:00 AM PDT) on Wednesday, July 26th. The teleconference was live-streamed on NASA’s website and featured an expert panel discussing the latest developments in the DRAGO program and fielding questions from various media outlets. The panel consisted of four members, including:

Dr. Anthony Calomino, space nuclear technologies portfolio manager, NASA
Dr. Tabitha Dodson, DRACO program manager, DARPA
Kirk Shireman, vice president, Lockheed Martin Lunar Exploration Campaigns
Joe Miller, president, BWXT Advanced Technologies
https://www.universetoday.com/162560/na … ed-martin/
Nuclear Propulsion
Nuclear propulsion concepts generally fall into two categories: nuclear electric and nuclear thermal propulsion (NEP/NTP). NEP concepts consist of a nuclear reactor generating power for a Hall-Effect thruster, which uses electromagnetic fields to ionize and accelerate inert gas (like xenon) to generate thrust. Conversely, NTP involves a nuclear reactor heating liquid hydrogen or deuterium, then channeling the rapidly-expanding gas through nozzles to generate thrust. While no NEP concepts have been realized to date, experiments involving NTP go back to the Space Age.
In NASA’s case, these efforts resulted in the creation of the Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application (NERVA), which was successfully tested between 1961 and 1969. With the closing of the Apollo Era, efforts to further develop the technology and integrate it into a spacecraft were shelved. This reflected the changing budget environment and new priorities, which included the Space Shuttle program and the development of space stations. In 2017, with crewed missions to Mars on the horizon, NASA reignited its NTP program.
In addition to improved efficiency, nuclear thermal propulsion systems have a virtually unlimited energy density, significantly reducing the propellant needed. This eliminates the need for orbital refueling or fabricating propellant on Mars for the return journey. Since the majority of a chemical rocket’s mass consists of its propellant and large propellant tanks, it also means that future spacecraft will be less massive and cumbersome. Moreover, NTP engines also enable abort scenarios on journeys to Mars that are impossible using chemical propulsion systems.
The DRACO project represents the fruition of these efforts, focusing on more efficiently and quickly transporting payloads and crews through cislunar space and, eventually, to Mars. As Dr. Tabitha Dodson, the DRACO program manager for DARPA, indicated in an agency press release:
“The DRACO program aims to give the nation leap-ahead propulsion capability. An NTR achieves high thrust similar to in-space chemical propulsion but is two-to-three-times more efficient. With a successful demonstration, we could significantly advance humanity’s means for going faster and farther in space and pave the way for the future deployment for all fission-based nuclear space technologies.”
Kirk Shireman, vice president of Lunar Exploration Campaigns at Lockheed Martin Space, said in a separate Lockheed Martin press release:
“These more powerful and efficient nuclear thermal propulsion systems can provide faster transit times between destinations. Reducing transit time is vital for human missions to Mars to limit a crew’s exposure to radiation. This is a prime technology that can be used to transport humans and materials to the Moon. A safe, reusable nuclear tug spacecraft would revolutionize cislunar operations. With more speed, agility and maneuverability, nuclear thermal propulsion also has many national security applications for cislunar space.”

videos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSIlLUKiiGE
vid
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kgw7FEkIwBo

Mars_B4_Moon · 2023-09-01 16:37:22

Oklo Selected to Provide Clean and Resilient Power to Eielson Air Force Base
https://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2023/08/31/9873162.htm
The Defense Logistics Agency Energy on behalf of the United States Air Force has issued a Notice of Intent to Award a contract to Oklo Inc. to provide power and heat at the Eielson Air Force Base as part of the Air Force's micro-reactor pilot program. This project represents a significant stride towards ensuring a clean and resilient energy supply for critical national security infrastructure.

Mars_B4_Moon · 2023-11-22 16:49:36

Innovative Spray-in-Place Liner System Revolutionizes Nuclear Plant Maintenance

https://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Inno … e_999.html

SpaceNut · 2023-11-22 19:29:19

This seems like its geared at the small reactors for use as the KRUSTY is more like a trash can type sized unit.

SpaceNut · 2023-12-29 08:39:32

went searching for the KRUSTY topic and it took a bit to find it.

An older topic that has discussion of it that has been revived.
There are also many more where we talk of how we might use it but not a total single topic of the units that have been prototyped and tested.

Nuclear power - How much is needed?

SpaceNut · 2024-02-19 20:37:11

Based on a crew of 4 the need is 11 kw continuous which means a need of 4.25 kilo watt reactors to power a mars surface for a for each part of the journey with solar providing what nasa did neglect with a capsule.

Thanks to Void we have another to make use of in "Mars Direct 3 is a Mars mission architecture developed by Miguel Gurrea" topic.
https://www.marspapers.org/paper/Gurrea_2021.pdf

Plus Mars direct was a 40mT payload
https://www.marspapers.org/paper/Zubrin_1991.pdf

A reuseable craft requires the means to make the fuel of choice.

Mars_B4_Moon · 2024-02-20 06:11:09

Government approves construction permit for new type of nuclear reactor for first time in decades: ‘major regulatory milestone’

https://www.thecooldown.com/green-busin … rmit-salt/

Mars_B4_Moon · 2024-04-14 13:45:33

Pro-Nuclear Nations Rally for Industry Revival at Brussels Summit

https://thedeepdive.ca/pro-nuclear-nati … ls-summit/

New Mars Forums

Announcement

#101 2023-04-02 11:45:49

Re: NASA and DOE to test kilopower nuclear reactor for space applications

#102 2023-04-02 14:54:05

Re: NASA and DOE to test kilopower nuclear reactor for space applications

#103 2023-04-08 16:42:42

Re: NASA and DOE to test kilopower nuclear reactor for space applications

#104 2023-04-08 17:06:15

Re: NASA and DOE to test kilopower nuclear reactor for space applications

#105 2023-06-23 05:04:38

Re: NASA and DOE to test kilopower nuclear reactor for space applications

#106 2023-06-23 15:28:50

Re: NASA and DOE to test kilopower nuclear reactor for space applications

#107 2023-08-03 06:55:39

Re: NASA and DOE to test kilopower nuclear reactor for space applications

#108 2023-08-04 02:55:56

Re: NASA and DOE to test kilopower nuclear reactor for space applications

#109 2023-09-01 16:37:22

Re: NASA and DOE to test kilopower nuclear reactor for space applications

#110 2023-11-22 16:49:36

Re: NASA and DOE to test kilopower nuclear reactor for space applications

#111 2023-11-22 19:29:19

Re: NASA and DOE to test kilopower nuclear reactor for space applications

#112 2023-12-29 08:39:32

Re: NASA and DOE to test kilopower nuclear reactor for space applications

#113 2024-02-19 20:37:11

Re: NASA and DOE to test kilopower nuclear reactor for space applications

#114 2024-02-20 06:11:09

Re: NASA and DOE to test kilopower nuclear reactor for space applications

#115 2024-04-14 13:45:33

Re: NASA and DOE to test kilopower nuclear reactor for space applications

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