In early 1999, coated particle fuel was identified as offering promising advancements in design flexibility, performance, specific mass and volume, as well as safety for future space radioisotope heater units (RHUs) and radioisotope power systems (RPSs). Subsequent study, conducted during Fiscal Year 1999, provided confidence that these potential benefits were substantial and demonstrable if a modest follow-on investigative test effort was pursued. This paper lays out a roadmap for both immediate and near-term decision making, as well as any full-scale development and validation of coated particle fuel undertaken for future space RHUs, and RPSs. In an effort to obtain adequate and timely information at a reasonable cost for immediate and near-term decision making, as well as any subsequent development, production, and application decisions, a four-phased regimen of testing is identified. The four phases of testing are: (1) Pre-Decisional Testing: (2) Pre-Production Analytical Verification Testing: (3) Production Quality Assurance Testing: and (4) Post-Production Safety Verification Testing. Although all four of these phases of testing are considered essential, the first two phases are especially important for immediate and near-term decisions to advance and pursue coated particle fuel for space RHUs and RPSs. The third and fourth phases of testing are primarily identified and included for completeness at this early stage. It is concluded that there is every reason to believe that the potential benefits of coated particle fuel can be readily demonstrated through a modest investigative test effort. If such an effort is pursued and proves successful, coated particle fuel could then be developed with assurance that its ultimate benefits would revolutionize the design and space use of future RHUs and RPSs. It is hoped that this paper will serve as a starting point for further discussions and more specific planning activities aimed at advancing coated particle fuel for future RHUs and RPSs.


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    Titel :

    A roadmap for the development and validation of coated particle fuel for future space radioisotope heater units (RHUs) and radioisotope power systems (RPSs)


    Beteiligte:
    Sholtis, Joseph A. (Autor:in) / El-Genk, Mohamed S. (Herausgeber:in) / Bragg, Mary J. (Herausgeber:in)

    Kongress:

    Space Technology and Applications International Forum - 2001 ; 2001 ; Albuquerque, New Mexico


    Erschienen in:

    AIP Conference Proceedings ; 552 , 1 ; 784-789


    Erscheinungsdatum :

    02.02.2001


    Format / Umfang :

    6 pages





    Medientyp :

    Aufsatz (Konferenz)


    Format :

    Elektronische Ressource


    Sprache :

    Englisch



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