Sp-100 space power reactor safety guidelines

The U.S. Approach to assuring safe Space Nuclear Power Systems is discussed and exemplified by application to the SP-100 Space Nuclear Power System. The paper focuses on evaluation of the design features provided to assure 1) reactor subcriticality during accidents, 2) intact reentry and essentially buried impact following inadvertent reentry and 3) maintenance of structural integrity following loss of reactor coolant. These features combined with other standard approaches to safety in terrestrial nuclear power systems and non-nuclear space power systems assure that Space Nuclear Power Systems can be deployed with acceptably small risk to the population