A Paradigm for Advancing Space Nuclear Education

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• The Center for Space Nuclear Research

A Paradigm for Advancing Space Nuclear Education
John Darrell Bess February 13, 2008STAIF 2008
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History of the CSNR

• Established October 2005
• Partnership
• Battelle Energy Alliance
• Universities Space Research Association
• Idaho National Lab
• USRA-Managed
• Non-profit association of universities
• Founded by the National Academy of Science
• Science Council
• comprised of academic and professional members
• Oversees CSNR activities

CSNR DirectorDr. Steve Howe
Center for Space Nuclear Research, J. Werner,
Space Nuclear Conference 2007.
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Purpose of the CSNR

• Support space nuclear research and educational
  needs of the U.S. DOE
• INLs primary conduit for collaborative research
  and educational activities with universities in
  space nuclear systems
• Create opportunities for program participants
• Academic researchers and students
• Government representatives from national
  laboratories and other U.S. organizations
• Representatives from corporate and industrial
  entities
• International cooperative efforts

Center for Space Nuclear Research, J. Werner,
Space Nuclear Conference 2007.
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Challenges with Space Nuclear Development

• Funding Restrictions
• Lack of Political, Corporate, or Public Support
• Limitations in Educational Opportunities
• Loss of Early Space Nuclear Data, Skills, and
  Pioneers
• Development and Maintenance of Trained Leadership

Lessons Learned (?) from 50 Years of U.S. Space
Fission Power Development, S. R. Greene, Space
Nuclear Conference 2005.
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The CSNR Summer Fellows

• Apply to participate in activities pertinent to
  objectives of the CSNR and sponsoring
  organizations
• Function in an open-office setting for increased
  interaction and cooperation
• Operate in smaller teams to address subtasks or
  alternative projects
• Predominantly housed together in CSNR-subsidized
  housing to encourage strong team-building
  relationships

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Educating the Summer Fellows

• The Director oversees the summer project
• Additional support provided by CSNR employees
• Education augmentation
• Access to the INL Technical Library
• Invited professional lecturers
• Computational workshops relevant to the project
  goals
• MCNP, ANSYS, RELAP-3D
• Opportunities for synergistic laboratory research
• Tungsten-cermet fuel fabrication
• Hot hydrogen testing
• Risk analysis and human factors studies

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Milestones for the Fellows

• Weekly formal meetings to address primary and
  secondary project goals
• Weekly informal activities to contribute to a
  well-rounded educational experience
• Students are expected to present at least once
  regarding personal research or experience
• The final project results will be presented
  before employees and directors of INL
• Final reports are compiled into summaries that
  can be submitted to conferences

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Additional Student Benefits

• Develop personal skills and education
• Establish networking connections
• Experience the challenges and latest developments
  in the space nuclear field
• Find mentors, committee members, and future
  employment
• Participate in the next Summer Fellowship program
  the Next Degree Program
• Experience the many local and regional activities
  found around Idaho Falls and Eastern Idaho

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The Next Degree Program

• Students working on an advanced degree in space
  nuclear related research
• Students work part-time for various sponsored
  projects while finishing their education
• Students also participate in CSNR-sponsored,
  year-round activities, including the Summer
  Fellowships

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Funding Space Nuclear Research

• Often the challenges associated with the
  promotion of space nuclear applications involve
  the slight detail of money
• We continue to spend money using proven systems
  and measures that are becoming antiquated, and
  thus limit our ultimate space exploration
  potential, even when the benefits of space
  nuclear technology have calculated benefit

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An Approach to Economics

• CSNR provides an avenue for fielding designs and
  problems
• Students
• Often represent cheap labor
• Have a zest to learn and work
• Can potentially cost less to perform preliminary
  design and development activities by utilizinga
  captive researcher audience
• An educational atmosphere represents one of the
  last realms where pure engineering practices, and
  tinkering, can be experienced at a minimal cost

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An Approach to Politics

• Congressional policy and international treaty
  limitations can often deter the promotion of
  space nuclear research activities
• Students are willing to
• Learn the rules that guide our current protocol
  for space nuclear activities
• Develop technologies capable of withstanding
  these rigorous requirements
• Demonstrate the appropriate measures to overcome
  challenges and restrictions
• Sometimes the question arises as to whether an
  idea should be investigated students will
  perform the preliminary research and then let you
  know whether it was a good idea or not

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An Approach to Leadership

• The CSNR offers access to some of the best and
  brightest students interested in space nuclear
  research
• Sponsored projects
• Allow for guided direction and participation
  throughout the course of the project
• Increased cooperation on activities beyond the
  scope of the CSNR research activities
• Graduate Research
• Employment
• University Relations

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Results Student Involvement

• Two Summer Fellowships
• 27 Student Participants
• 18 U.S. and 1 British University
• 3 Returning Summer Students
• Three Next Degree Students

• Nationalities
• Mostly the U.S.
• 1 each from Japan, England, India, and Trinidad
• Degrees of Study
• Aerospace, Materials Science, Mechanical,
  Metallurgical, and Nuclear Engineering
• Psychology
• Space Physics

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The 2006 Summer Fellows
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2006 Results

• Augmentation of NASA Lunar Mission with NTR
• Increase Lunar Payload 36.2
• or Decrease IMLEO 24.1

• Use NTR to Enable Current Launch Fleet
• 5-6 Delta IV Heavy and Atlas V HLV for 20 tons
• Requires In-Orbit Assembly
• Cost Analysis Needed

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Where Are They Now?

• Three System Engineers
• P W Rocketdyne
• South Texas Project
• NASA JSC
• One Risk and Reliability Engineer
• INL / NASA
• One CSNR Next Degree Student

• Eight Ph.D. Students
• Nuclear, Psychology, Aero/Astronautics, Materials
  Science, and Space Instrumentation
• One M.S. Student
• Industrial and Systems Eng.

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The 2007 Summer Fellows
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2007 Results

• Lunar Isotope Power Source
• 2.5 kWe, 5 yr Life-Time
• 244Cm, 238Pu, 90Sr, or 232U
• Trade Studies and Preconceptual Ideas

• Radioisotope Powered UAV
• 7-12 month Operation
• 20-40 kWth
• Propulsion and Radioisotope Trade Studies

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Student Fun and Adventures

• Yellowstone National Park
• Idaho Falls Model Rocketry Club
• Weird Physics Meetings
• Firefly Thursdays
• And whatever else we can get into

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The Next Degree Students

• John Bess

• Brian Gross

• Jon Webb

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Next Degree Student Progress

• John Bess
• Finishing PhD Nuclear Eng.
• LEGO Reactor
• Space Nuclear Reactor Development
• Criticality/Reactor Physics Benchmarking

• Jon Webb
• Finishing MS Nuclear Eng.
• Thermodynamics of Radioisotope Powered UAV for
  Titan
• Nuclear Thermal Propulsion
• Radioisotope-Cermet Fuel Form Development

• Brian Gross
• Starting MS Nuclear Eng.
• Radioisotope-Cermet Fuel Form Development
• AFSPS Efforts

• More to Come

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CSNR Students and Conferences

• Presentations

• STAIF 2007
• IAS 49th Symposium 2007
• ANS Annual Meeting 2007
• GLOBAL 2007
• ANS Winter Meeting 2007
• STAIF 2008
• ANS Annual Meeting 2008
• And Many More to Come

• Workshops

• Student Aides

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The Future Home of CSNR

• Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES)
• CSNR Offices and Meeting Rooms
• Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) Furnace
• Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS) System
• And whatever else we need for fabrication and
  analysis

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The 2008 Summer Fellowship

• Fuels fabrication of tungsten cermet
• Non-nuclear component irradiation
• Reactor mobility study
• Earth-manufactured shielding study
• Water-shield-radiolysis pressure effects
• Off-normal accident sensitivities study
• Other potential experiments and studies
• www.csnr.usra.edu (March 14, 2008 deadline)

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Conclusions

• Provide Opportunities for Advancing Space Nuclear
  Education
• Present Avenues for Funding Activities
• Train and Develop Our Future Leaders
• Enable Space Exploration

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Questions and Contact Info

• Questions?

CSNR Director Dr. Steve Howe showe_at_csnr.usra.edu
John Darrell Bess john.bess_at_inl.gov