Space-R nuclear power system SC-320 thermionic fuel element performance tests

In 1993 and 1994, the Russian Scientific Research Institute NII NPO "LUCH" and Space Power, Inc. (SPI), of San Jose, California, developed a prototype of the single-cell thermionic fuel element (TFE) for the SPACE-R space nuclear power system (NPS). The SPACE-R system was designed as a part of the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Space Reactor Development Program to develop a long life, space reactor system capable of supplying up to 40 kW output power. The jointly developed SC-320 TFE is a prototype of the next generation thermionic converter for nuclear applications in space. This paper presents the results of the initial demonstration tests and subsequent parametric evaluations conducted on the SC-320 TFE as compared to the calculated performance characteristics. The demonstration tests were conducted jointly by Russian and American specialists at the Thermionic Evaluation Facility (TEF) at the New Mexico Engineering Research Institute (NMERI) of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.