The trends today are toward smaller satellites with increased capability. These two trends place enormous demands on the technology used to power such space systems. Typical power sources are nuclear, photovoltaic, and chemical. As the power available on a typical satellite decreases, the use of long pulsed power sources becomes more attractive. Technologies such as electrochemical capacitors, pulsed batteries and flywheels offer the possibility of employing high power subsystems for limited times without undue burden on the spacecraft power train. The state of the art in each of the pulsed storage devices is discussed and preliminary experiments described which use an electrochemical power source to power a spacecraft propulsion unit such as an arc-jet or Hall effect thruster.

Space power technology

We have explored the possibility of creating small-size reactors with a high power output with the provision of thermal stability and nuclear safety under standard operating conditions and in emergency situations. The neutron-physical features of such a reactor have been considered and variants of its designs preserving the main principles and approaches of nuclear rocket engine technology are presented.

Thermal and neutron-physical features of the nuclear reactor for a power pulsation plant for space applications

Conceptual problems of development of two-mode multi-cell thermionic fuel element (TFE) for nuclear electric power and propulsion system are considered. The results of analysis of the design and TFE output parameters are presented. It is shown that application of advanced high effective materials and technologies provides operating of the TFE in two modes: a) in nominal mode of power generation for power supply of spacecraft payload at operational orbit and b) in forced mode of power generation for power supply of electric thrusters under spacecraft orbit transfer from intermediate to operational one.

Multi-cell thermionic fuel element for nuclear electric power and propulsion system

Nuclear transport power systems (NTPS) can provide solving such important science, commerce and defense tasks in space as radar surveillance, information affording, global ecological monitoring, defense of Earth from dangerous space objects, manufacturing in space, investigations of asteroids, comets and solar systems’ planets (Kuzin et al. 1993a, 1993b). The creation of NTPS for real space systems, however, must be based on proved NTPS effectiveness in comparison with other power and propulsion systems such as, nonnuclear electric‐rocket systems and so on. When the NTPS effectiveness is proved, the operation safety of such systems must be suited to the UN requirements for all stages of the life cycle in view of possible failures. A nuclear transport power module provides both a large amount of thermal and electrical power and a long acting time (about 6–7 years after completing the delivery task). For this reason such module is featured with the high power supplying‐mass delivery effectiveness and the co...

Advanced development and using of space nuclear power systems as a part of transport power supply modules for general purpose spacecraft

The purpose of developing space nuclear power in Russia is to establish an advanced scientific and technological base on unified key components of samples of space nuclear power and propulsion engineering products. Establishment of said base will reduce time required for development of nuclear power and power/propulsion systems (NPS and NPPS) in the future, should a decision is made on deployment of space complexes that require nuclear power sources. The paper presents the authors’ point of view with regard to the following major issues of the Concept of Space Nuclear Power Development in Russia: purposes and missions for development of space nuclear power, safety of space NPS and NPPS, direction of work, international cooperation, expected results of work on space NPS and NPPS in the period of 1996–2000.

Andrey Ya. Bulavatsky

Papers

Advanced development and using of space nuclear power systems as a part of transport power supply modules for general purpose spacecraft

A concept of space nuclear power development in Russia