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DOE Pulse
  • Number 296  |
  • September 28, 2009

Space nuclear research informs advanced reactor work

Several Center for Space Nuclear Research projects focus on Nuclear Thermal Rockets (NTR) such as the one shown here.






Several Center for Space Nuclear
Research projects focus on
Nuclear Thermal Rockets (NTR)
such as the one shown here.

Deflecting comets that threaten earth, maneuvering satellites and designing advanced nuclear reactors for the moon, are among projects students tackled this summer at the Center for Space Nuclear Research at DOE's Idaho National Laboratory. As part of the center's Summer Fellowship Program, 15 top students from different fields and universities around the country participated in cutting-edge space nuclear power and propulsion research. Participants conducted feasibility assessments for advanced technologies with nuclear applications in space for INL and NASA.  And for students who go on to work at INL, many of those concepts translate to experiment validation through computer modeling for advanced nuclear reactors.

[Ryan Weeks, 208.526.5140,
ryan.weeks@inl.gov]