Waspie_Dwarf Posted November 14, 2017 #1 Share Posted November 14, 2017 Powering Up NASA’s Human Reach for the Red Planet Quote NASA is pushing forward on testing a key energy source that could literally “empower” human crews on the Mars surface, energizing habitats and running on-the-spot processing equipment to transform Red Planet resources into oxygen, water and fuel. The agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) has provided multi-year funding to the Kilopower project. Testing is due to start in November and go through early next year, with NASA partnering with the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Nevada National Security Site to appraise fission power technologies. Read More: NASA 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waspie_Dwarf Posted January 18, 2018 Author #2 Share Posted January 18, 2018 Kilopower: What’s Next? Quote When astronauts someday venture to the Moon, Mars and other destinations, one of the first and most important resources they will need is power. A reliable and efficient power system will be essential for day-to-day necessities, such as lighting, water and oxygen, and for mission objectives, like running experiments and producing fuel for the long journey home. That’s why NASA is conducting experiments on Kilopower, a new power source that could provide safe, efficient and plentiful energy for future robotic and human space exploration missions. This pioneering space fission power system could provide up to 10 kilowatts of electrical power -- enough to run two average households -- continuously for at least ten years. Four Kilopower units would provide enough power to establish an outpost. Read More: NASA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kartikg Posted January 19, 2018 #3 Share Posted January 19, 2018 I am thinking about the improvements it could bring to the nuclear power plants here on earth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geraldnewfie Posted January 19, 2018 #4 Share Posted January 19, 2018 cant use something safe like solar? we ruined this planet already lets not ruin another 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paperdyer Posted January 19, 2018 #5 Share Posted January 19, 2018 I presume these reactors can also run heating, water purification on other systems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waspie_Dwarf Posted January 19, 2018 Author #6 Share Posted January 19, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, geraldnewfie said: cant use something safe like solar? we ruined this planet already lets not ruin another And covering large areas of the surface with solar panels would be less damaging than these nuclear reactors how exactly? The NASA link in the second post I made says this: Quote On Mars, the sun’s power varies widely throughout the seasons, and periodic dust storms can last for months. On the Moon, the cold lunar night lingers for 14 days. And this: Quote In these challenging environments, power generation from sunlight is difficult and fuel supply is limited. Kilopower is lightweight, reliable and efficient, which makes it just right for the job. So no, they can't use solar. Edited January 19, 2018 by Waspie_Dwarf realised that this is now a front page article with a link to a different source. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pallidin Posted January 19, 2018 #7 Share Posted January 19, 2018 Mini nuclear reactors, or even full scale, are the way to go with space/planetary "power plants" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithisco Posted January 19, 2018 #8 Share Posted January 19, 2018 I cant help thinking that NASA is "missing a trick" by not utilising the strong crustal magnetic fields that exist at the surface in many places. Magnetic flux can, of course, be used to generate electrical charge and is not dependent on seasonal or atmospheric conditions. A few micro or even nanoTesla of flux could be sufficient to generate all their needs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schroedingerscat Posted January 20, 2018 #9 Share Posted January 20, 2018 (edited) Our best solar panels have efficiencies of about 15%, and since Earth has a maximum solar flux of 1,000 w/m^2 at high noon on the equinoxes at the equator, when the sun is directly overhead, it would take 1 square meter of photovoltaics to generate 150 watts. Seven square meters might run a toaster, and remember the AVERAGE irradiance on Earth is only 660 w/m^2. Solar irradiance values for Mars are roughly half those for Earth, meaning that 14 square meters of photovoltaics might power a toaster. Though solar may have its uses, we need higher power density systems for manned operations on Mars, and reactors like these could be a first start. Edited January 20, 2018 by schroedingerscat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schroedingerscat Posted January 21, 2018 #10 Share Posted January 21, 2018 On 1/19/2018 at 9:46 AM, paperdyer said: I presume these reactors can also run heating, water purification on other systems. The reactor would produce electricity at a far higher power density than photovoltaics, so yes, any process requiring electrical power could be implemented. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pallidin Posted January 21, 2018 #11 Share Posted January 21, 2018 On 1/19/2018 at 4:10 PM, keithisco said: I cant help thinking that NASA is "missing a trick" by not utilising the strong crustal magnetic fields that exist at the surface in many places. Magnetic flux can, of course, be used to generate electrical charge and is not dependent on seasonal or atmospheric conditions. A few micro or even nanoTesla of flux could be sufficient to generate all their needs. Too weak. MUCH too weak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pallidin Posted January 21, 2018 #12 Share Posted January 21, 2018 17 hours ago, schroedingerscat said: The reactor would produce electricity at a far higher power density than photovoltaics, so yes, any process requiring electrical power could be implemented. Indeed, "energy" is extraordinary. With enough of it (and a key is "enough"), and specialized systems/raw materials to utilize it, much is possible to convert/use high energy for many products needed for survival. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schroedingerscat Posted January 21, 2018 #13 Share Posted January 21, 2018 What is sad, is that this is not new territory. The USA was working on these systems over 50 years ago. When I was a child, titles like these were available for FREE upon request from the US government, back when science was valued, and tax dollars were not wasted buying votes from special interest groups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calibeliever Posted January 26, 2018 #14 Share Posted January 26, 2018 I remember the arguments against mounting plutonium on a rocket and blasting it through our atmosphere 40 years ago. It seemed overblown then and with decades of research behind us now I feel relatively safe putting these on a rocket. 40 years ago any story with the words "radioactive material" in it caused anxiety in the general population. As a kid who lived on the Pacific we regularly had nuclear drills where we were instructed to get under our desks (as if that would have done any good). Nuclear power plants were shrouded in mystery and were the source of a lot of conspiracy theories (some of them founded). If we are going to generate enough power to make a hostile terrain like Mars or the Moon habitable, there just aren't any better options I know of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waspie_Dwarf Posted May 2, 2018 Author #15 Share Posted May 2, 2018 Demonstration Proves Nuclear Fission System Can Provide Space Exploration Power Quote NASA and the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) have successfully demonstrated a new nuclear reactor power system that could enable long-duration crewed missions to the Moon, Mars and destinations beyond. NASA announced the results of the demonstration, called the Kilopower Reactor Using Stirling Technology (KRUSTY) experiment,during a news conference Wednesday at its Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. The Kilopower experimentwas conducted at the NNSA’s Nevada National Security Site from November 2017 through March. Read More: NASA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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