General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems, together with NASA, has successfully tested nuclear fuel that could become an energy source for future high-speed space flights, including missions to Mars, reports SciTechDaily.
It is noted that this achievement proved the durability of the fuel in extreme space conditions. As a result, engineers moved closer to developing practical nuclear thermal power plants for deeper space exploration.
“The results of the recent tests are an important milestone in the successful demonstration of the NTP reactor fuel design. The fuel must withstand the extremely high temperatures and hot hydrogen gas environments that an NTP reactor operating in space would normally encounter. We are very pleased with the positive test results that prove that the fuel can withstand such operating conditions, and we are moving closer to realizing the potential of safe and reliable nuclear thermal propulsion in cislar and deep space missions,” said Scott Forney, President of General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems.
The publication shares information that a total of several high-efficiency fuel tests have been conducted in Huntsville, Alabama. Nuclear fuel was tested by passing hot hydrogen through samples and performing six thermal cycles, during which it rapidly increased to the maximum +2326 °C.
During each cycle, the highest temperature was maintained for 20 minutes to demonstrate the effectiveness of protecting the fuel material from erosion and degradation under the influence of hot hydrogen. Additional tests were conducted with different protective elements to obtain additional data on how different material improvements improve efficiency under reactor conditions.
“To our knowledge, we are the first company to successfully test and demonstrate the survival of fuel after the thermal cycle in hydrogen at typical temperatures and speeds with NASA’s MSFC Compact Fuel Cell Environmental Test Facility (CFEET),” said Christina Beck, Vice President of Nuclear Technology and Materials at General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems.
According to her, the new fuel will make a nuclear thermal power plant two to three times more efficient than conventional chemical rocket engines. Beck added that scientists will continue to improve their development.
