Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has made significant progress in developing a high-temperature furnace that can simulate the extreme heat and radiation conditions found in space. This testbed is crucial for advancing research on nuclear thermal propulsion rockets, which offer twice the efficiency of traditional chemical rockets.
The new furnace allows researchers to test materials at temperatures nearing 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit, similar to molten lava. ORNL scientists, including students from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and the U.S. Military Academy West Point, used this facility to examine a new zirconium carbide fuel developed in collaboration with The Ohio State University Research Reactor.
“This is a first step towards helping NASA mature nuclear fuels for manned space exploration,” said ORNL researcher Brandon Wilson. Future experiments will focus on post-irradiation analysis and scaling up nuclear-fueled tests, paving the way for more efficient propulsion systems.
The test bed is being supported by NASA and a U.S. Department of Energy award, providing access to resources and facilities for researchers to study nuclear fuels and materials at no cost.
Source: https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/oak-ridge-national-laboratory-creates-new-testbed-propel-research-nuclear-powered