Nuclear energy has an important role in the mix of energy supplies for the coming years, yet is a source of concern on safety and proliferation grounds. The nuclear energy industry addresses these concerns by using transparency to demonstrate compliance with international treaties and conventions and to show the public that operations are safe and emissions are within authorized limits. Transparency measures are becoming increasingly based on technology, both to decrease costs and to increase availability of information. Modern transparency technologies for international nuclear safeguards are tending toward integrated sensor systems, Internet accessibility, and improved software analysis. Public acceptance measures rely extensively upon Internet tools and are beginning to take on a regional nature reflecting the potential trans-boundary consequences of any future accident. Security of transparency information is also improving as limited sharing of sensitive information is contemplated for the future

The Space Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (SNTP) Program initiated an environmental impact analysis process (EIAP) in March of 1992 to support design and construction of a nuclear thermal rocket engine ground testing facility. The “ Notice of Intent” appeared in the Federal Register on March 12, 1992 and Scoping Meetings occurred during April 1992. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was publicly available on August 21, 1993 and public hearings were conducted during September 1992. Comments were resolved and the Final EIS “ Notice of Availability” appeared in the Federal Register on May 14, 1993. Although program termination negated the need for a Record of Decision, completion of this EIAP demonstrates that the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) provides an adequate framework for involving the general public in all governmental decisions irrespective of either the technical complexities or the potential for nonacceptance. This paper discusses the SNTP EIAP and the associated analyses which indicated that ground testing of nuclear rocket engine concepts could be accomplished without significantly affecting the surrounding environment.

Interagency panels evaluating nuclear thermal propulsion development options have consistently recognized the need for constructing a major new ground test facility to support fuel element and engine testing. This paper summarizes the requirements, configuration, and design issues of a proposed ground test complex for evaluating nuclear thermal propulsion engines and fuel elements being developed for the Space Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (SNTP) program. 2 refs.

Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) has been identified as a critical technology in support of the NASA Space Exploration Initiative (SEI). In order to safely develop a reliable, reusable, long-lived flight engine, facilities are required that will support ground tests to qualify the nuclear rocket engine design. Initial nuclear fuel element testing will need to be performed in a facility that supports a realistic thermal and neutronic environment in which the fuel elements will operate at a fraction of the power of a flight weight reactor/engine. Ground testing of nuclear rocket engines is not new. New restrictions mandated by the National Environmental Protection Act of 1970, however, now require major changes to be made in the manner in which reactor engines are now tested. These new restrictions now preclude the types of nuclear rocket engine tests that were performed in the past from being done today. A major attribute of a safely operating ground test facility is its ability to prevent fission products from being released in appreciable amounts to the environment. Details of the intricacies and complications involved with the design of a fuel element ground test facility are presented in this report with a strong emphasis on safety and more » economy. « less

Interagency panels evaluating nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) development options have consistently recognized the need for constructing a major new ground test facility to support fuel element and engine testing. This paper summarizes the requirements, configuration, and baseline performance of some of the major subsystems designed to support a proposed ground test complex for evaluating nuclear thermal propulsion fuel elements and engines being developed for the Space Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (SNTP) program. Some preliminary results of evaluating this facility for use in testing other NTP concepts are also summarized.