Restart of the U.S. Space Nuclear Reactor Power Program

Abstract

After a ten year hiatus, the U.S. space nuclear reactor program is once again in high gear. In February 1983, three agencies of the U.S. government joined forces to sponsor a space nuclear reactor power system program known as SP-100. The program is now completing its Phase I efforts to establish concept feasibility. It is expected that by late summer 1985 concept feasibility will have been established and an RFP (request for proposal) issued to industry for the second phase, the ground engineering system demonstration. That phase will produce the fabrication and test of a reactor and associated power conversion and heat rejection subsystem and demonstrate readiness for flight application by 1991.