Design and Performance Characteristics for Low Power Space Reactor Systems

Several missions requiring electrical power in the 10 to 40 kW range have been identified as potential applications for a space reactor power system which uses the technology currently being developed under the SP-100 Ground Engineering System (GES) Program. The conceptual designs proposed for these low power applications build upon these key GES technologies, thereby maximizing the potential applicability of this development effort by fully utilizing the inherent scalability of the design implementations defined as elements of the 100 kW, Generic Flight System. Design and performance characteristics are provided for a specific point design with a 10 kW rated electrical output. While retaining the major attributes of this design, the system power rating, is scaled over the power range from 10 to 40 kW, and important spacecraft integration parameters, such as total mass and radiator area, are presented as a function of allowable self-generated radiation dose at the payload interface plane and separation distance between this plane and the reactor core.