Extreme Temperature Radiation Tolerant Instrumentation for Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Engines, Phase I

Potential NASA Commercial Applications: The United States' National Space Policy specifies that NASA shall begin sending crewed missions beyond the moon by 2025, and sending crewed missions to Mars by mid-2030s. In order to accomplish these tasks, nuclear thermal rockets have been identified as the propulsion system of choice; the technology proposed here would find extensive application in the field of nuclear powered space flight. The smart neutron sensor can enable increased safety, efficiency, and control for nuclear thermal propulsion engines. Additionally, this technology will be applicable for fission surface power systems. These power systems utilize nuclear fission to generate electricity, and are intended for use in environments where solar power is not a viable option, such as a Martian outpost, or where the weight of solar cells would greatly increase the cost of a surface power station, such as a lunar outpost. The neutron smart sensor can again find application in these harsh environments, where their installation could again address the safety and control concerns for the nuclear power plant. More »