Back to the Future: Nuclear Power Is Back

NASA To Accelerate Space Nuclear Power, Aviation Week & Space Technology

“NASA will accelerate missions featuring space nuclear power, Aviation Week & Space Technology reports in its Oct. 1 issue. The decision marks a major milestone for robotic exploration, but is a controversial move among groups that oppose space nuclear power because of launch safety concerns. NASA’s objective will be to use nuclear power much more frequently to open previously isolated areas of the solar system for robotic exploration as early as 2013, Aviation Week reports. NASA is moving quickly to make space nuclear power, and eventually nuclear propulsion, an inherent design element in near term, medium cost planetary missions.”

Amendment to the NASA Research Announcement Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences, NASA HQ

“This amendment establishes a new program element in Appendix C.26 of ROSES-2007 entitled “Discovery and Scout Mission Capabilities Expansion.” This new program element solicits mission concept proposals for small planetary missions that require a nuclear power source, such as the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG) currently under development by NASA.”

Editor’s note: This ROSES-2007 amendment only concerns nuclear power generation (electricity etc.) not nuclear propulsion.

Advanced Stirling Technology Development at NASA Glenn Research Center (PDF 5.5 mb)

Presented at the NASA Science Technology Conference, Session D2 Space Power on June 18, 2007 by Richard K. Shaltens Chief, Thermal Energy Conversion Branch and Wayne A. Wong ASC Project Manager.