TH24 One Giant Leap for Humankind: Using Nuclear Power to Explore Space

Just as it does on Earth, nuclear technology offers the opportunity to enhance capabilities in space. For over half a century, there have been nuclear-enabled space missions relying on the technology as a source of power in remote environments. Fission reactors now offer opportunities to improve propulsion and play a key role in establishing surface power for missions on both the Moon and Mars. With those opportunities, however, come potential new safety questions and industry standards to address them. This session features speakers from the Government and commercial industry who will provide insight into the evolving regulatory field, current industry standard initiatives, the Interagency Nuclear Safety Review Board, and nuclear-enabled space projects on the horizon.

• Victor Hall, Deputy Director, Division of Systems Analysis, RES/NRC

   

• Opening Remarks
  Victor Hall, Deputy Director, Division of Systems Analysis, RES/NRC
• NASA's Fission Surface Power (FSP) Project
  Lindsay Kaldon, Fission Surface Power Project Manager, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
• Space Nuclear Testing & Development of Standards
  Joe Halackna, eVinci Chief Technologist, Westinghouse Electric Company
• Guidance for Space Fission Reactor Safety Reviews in Different Mission Phases
  Tina Ghosh, Senior Reactor Systems Engineer, Accident Analysis Branch, Division of Systems Analysis, RES/NRC
• CNSC, DIET and Space Based Nuclear
  Kevin Lee, Senior Project Officer, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

• Steven Shockley, Reactor Systems Scientist, Accident Analysis Branch, Division of Systems Analysis, RES/NRC e-mail: Steven.Shockley@nrc.gov