Educational opportunities and research activities at the Center for Space Nuclear Research.

1. A Paradigm for
Advancing Space
Nuclear Education
John Darrell Bess
February 13, 2008
STAIF 2008

2. History of the CSNR*
Established October 2005
Partnership
Battelle Energy Alliance
Universities Space
Research Association
Idaho National Lab
USRA-Managed
Non-profit association of
universities
Founded by the National
Academy of Science
Science Council
Comprised of academic
and professional
CSNR Director:
members
Oversees CSNR
Dr. Steve Howe
activities
*Center for Space Nuclear Research, J. Werner,
Space Nuclear Conference 2007.

3. Purpose of the CSNR*
Support space nuclear research and educational
needs of the U.S. DOE
INL’s primary conduit for collaborative research and
educational activities with universities in space
nuclear systems
Create opportunities for program participants:
Academic researchers and students
Government representatives from
national laboratories and other
U.S. organizations
Representatives from corporate and
industrial entities
International cooperative efforts
*Center for Space Nuclear Research, J. Werner,
Space Nuclear Conference 2007.

4. Challenges with Space Nuclear Development
Funding Restrictions
Lack of Political, *
Corporate, or Public
Support
Limitations in
Educational
Opportunities
Loss of Early Space
Nuclear Data, Skills,
and Pioneers
Development and
Maintenance of Trained
Leadership
*LessonsLearned (?) from 50 Years of U.S. Space Fission Power
Development, S. R. Greene, Space Nuclear Conference 2005.

5. The CSNR Summer Fellows
Apply to participate in activities
pertinent to objectives of the
CSNR and sponsoring
organizations
Function in an open-office
setting for increased interaction
and cooperation
Operate in smaller teams to
address subtasks or alternative
projects
Predominantly housed together
in CSNR-subsidized housing to
encourage strong team-building
relationships

6. Educating the Summer Fellows
The Director oversees the summer
project
Additional support provided
by CSNR employees
Education augmentation
Access to the INL Technical Library
Invited professional lecturers
Computational workshops
relevant to the project goals
MCNP™, ANSYS®, RELAP-3D™
Opportunities for synergistic
laboratory research
Tungsten-cermet fuel fabrication
Hot hydrogen testing
Risk analysis and human
factors studies…

7. Milestones for the Fellows
Weekly formal meetings to
address primary and
secondary project goals
Weekly informal activities to
contribute to a well-rounded
educational experience
Students are expected to
present at least once
regarding personal research
or experience
The final project results will
be presented before
employees and directors of
INL
Final reports are compiled
into summaries that can be
submitted to conferences

8. Additional Student Benefits
Develop personal skills
and education
Establish networking connections
Experience the challenges and
latest developments in the space
nuclear field
Find mentors, committee
members, and future employment
Participate in the next Summer
Fellowship program or the Next
Degree Program
Experience the many local and
regional activities found around
Idaho Falls and Eastern Idaho

9. The Next Degree Program
Students working on an
advanced degree in
space nuclear related
research
Students work part-time
for various sponsored
projects while finishing
their education
Students also
participate in CSNR-
sponsored, year-round
activities, including the
Summer Fellowships

10. Funding Space Nuclear Research
Often the challenges associated with the
promotion of space nuclear applications
involve the slight detail of money
We continue to spend money using proven
systems and measures that are becoming
antiquated, and thus limit our ultimate space
exploration potential, even when the benefits
of space nuclear technology have calculated
benefit

11. An Approach to Economics
CSNR provides an avenue for
fielding designs and problems
Students
Often represent “cheap labor”
Have a zest to learn and work
Can potentially cost less to
perform preliminary design and
development activities by utilizing
a captive researcher audience
An educational atmosphere
represents one of the last realms
where pure engineering practices,
and “tinkering”, can be
experienced at a minimal cost

12. An Approach to Politics
Congressional policy and international treaty
limitations can often deter the promotion of space
nuclear research activities
Students are willing to
Learn the rules that guide our current
protocol for space nuclear activities
Develop technologies capable of
withstanding these rigorous requirements
Demonstrate the appropriate measures
to overcome challenges and restrictions
Sometimes the question arises as to whether an idea
should be investigated; students will perform the
preliminary research and then let you know whether
it was a good idea or not

13. An Approach to Leadership
The CSNR offers access to some of the best
and brightest students interested in space
nuclear research
Sponsored projects
Allow for guided direction and participation
throughout the course of the project
Increased cooperation on activities beyond the
scope of the CSNR research activities
☼Graduate Research
☼Employment
☼University Relations

14. Results: Student Involvement
Two Summer Nationalities
Fellowships Mostly the U.S.
27 Student Participants 1 each from Japan,
England, India, and
18 U.S. and 1 British
Trinidad
University
Degrees of Study
3 Returning Summer
Students Aerospace, Materials
Science, Mechanical,
Three Next Degree
Metallurgical, and
Students
Nuclear Engineering
Psychology
Space Physics

15. The 2006 Summer Fellows

16. 2006 Results
Augmentation of NASA Use NTR to Enable
Lunar Mission with NTR Current Launch Fleet
Increase Lunar Payload 5-6 Delta IV Heavy and
36.2% Atlas V HLV for 20 tons
or Decrease IMLEO Requires In-Orbit
24.1% Assembly
Cost Analysis Needed

17. Where Are They Now?
Three System Eight Ph.D. Students
Engineers Psychology,
Aero/Astronautics,
P & W Rocketdyne
Materials Science,
South Texas Project
Nuclear Eng., and
NASA JSC Space Instrumentation
One Risk and One M.S. Student
Reliability Engineer Industrial and Systems
INL / NASA Eng.
One CSNR Next
Degree Student

18. The 2007 Summer Fellows

19. 2007 Results
Lunar Isotope Power Radioisotope
Source Powered UAV
2.5 kWe, 5 yr Life-Time 7-36 month Operation
244Cm, 238Pu, 90Sr, 10-27 kWth
or 232U Propulsion and
Trade Studies and Radioisotope Trade
Preconceptual Ideas Studies

20. Student Fun and Adventures
Yellowstone
National Park
Idaho Falls Model
Rocketry Club
Weird Physics
Meetings
Firefly Thursdays
And whatever else
we can get into…

21. The Next Degree Students

22. Next Degree Student Progress
John Bess
Finishing PhD Nuclear Eng.
Jon Webb
☼ LEGO Reactor
Finishing MS Nuclear Eng.
Space Nuclear Reactor
☼ Thermodynamics of
Development
Radioisotope Powered
Criticality/Reactor Physics UAV for Titan
Benchmarking
Nuclear Thermal
Propulsion
Radioisotope-Cermet Fuel
Form Development
Brian Gross
Starting MS Nuclear Eng.
Radioisotope-Cermet
Fuel Form Development More to Come…
AFSPS Efforts

23. CSNR Students and Conferences
STAIF 2007
IAS 49th Symposium 2007
ANS Annual Meeting 2007
GLOBAL 2007
ANS Winter Meeting 2007
STAIF 2008
ANS Annual Meeting 2008
And Many More to Come…

24. The Future Home of CSNR
Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES)
CSNR Offices and Meeting Rooms
Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) Furnace
Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS) System
And whatever else we need for fabrication and
analysis

25. The 2008 Summer Fellowship
Fuels fabrication of tungsten cermet
Non-nuclear component irradiation
Reactor mobility study
Earth-manufactured shielding study
Water-shield-radiolysis pressure effects
Off-normal accident sensitivities study
Other potential experiments and studies
www.csnr.usra.edu (March 14, 2008 deadline)

26. Conclusions
Provide Opportunities for Advancing
Space Nuclear Education
Present Avenues for Funding Activities
Train and Develop Our Future Leaders
Enable Space Exploration

27. Questions and Contact Info
CSNR Director
John Darrell Bess
Dr. Steve Howe
john.bess@inl.gov
showe@csnr.usra.edu