The paper describes the results of studies on an RTG option for powering the global network of unmanned landers for NASA’s Mars Environmental Survey (MESUR) mission. RTGs are essentially unaffected by diurnal and seasonal variations, Martian sandstorms, and landing site latitudes, and their waste heat can stabilize the temperatures of the landers and their payload. The RTG designs described in this paper are based on PbTe/TAGS thermoelectric elements, in contast to the SiGe‐based RTGs the author described in previous publications. The presently described RTGs differ not only in the choice of thermoelectric materials but also in the use of much lower operating temperatures, conductive rather than radiative heat transfer, an inert cover gas instead of vacuum in the RTG’s converter, and fibrous instead of multifoil thermal insulation. As in a previous Teledyne design, the Fairchild designs described in this paper employ flight‐proven General Purpose Source modules and Close‐Pack Arrays of thermoelectric converter modules. Illustrative point designs of RTGs producing 41 and 51 watts(e) at 28 volts are presented. The presented performance parameters were derived by detailed thermal, thermoelectric, and electrical analyses (including radiator geometry optimization) described in the paper. The Fairchild study showed that, with appropriate modifications, the Teledyne design can be scaled up to higher power levels, and it identified solutions to ensure adequate fuel clad ductility at launch temperatures and adequate thermal conductance from the thermoelectric cold ends to the RTG housing.


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    PbTe/TAGS RTG Mars Environmental Survey (MESUR) mission


    Contributors:

    Conference:

    Proceedings of the tenth symposium on space nuclear power and propulsion ; 1993 ; Albuquerque, New Mexico (USA)


    Published in:

    AIP Conference Proceedings ; 271 , 1 ; 171-184


    Publication date :

    1993-01-10


    Size :

    14 pages





    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English




    PbTe/TAGS RTG for Mars Environmental Survey (MESUR) Mission

    Schock, A. / American Institute of Physics | British Library Conference Proceedings | 1993


    The Mars Environmental Survey (MESUR) Mission

    Squyres, S. W. / International Council of Scientific Unions; Committee on Space Research | British Library Conference Proceedings | 1995


    Power System Options for Mars Environmental Survey Mission (MESUR)

    Shirbacheh, M. / American Nuclear Society; Eastern Idaho Section | British Library Conference Proceedings | 1992


    Power Systems for the Mars Environmental Survey (MESUR) Mission

    Chmielewski, Art B. / Shirbacheh, Mike | SAE Technical Papers | 1992


    Power systems for the Mars Environmental Survey (MESUR) Mission

    Shirbacheh, Mike / Chmielewski, Art B. | NTRS | 1992