Safety of radioisotope power sources for space missions

Nuclear power sources (NPS) have been widely used in space missions particularly radioisotope thermo-electrical generators (RTG) and radioisotope heat units (RHU). Plutonium 238 in oxide ceramic is widely used as heat source. At present RTG and RHU designed for space missions stem form U.S. and Russian production. The U.S. and Russia have established a corresponding safety framework and approval process. A European nuclear safety approach would be a prerequisite for the launch of future European missions with NPS on board from the Guyana Space Center in Kourou. Within this context, a study for outlining the possibilities for a 'European Space Nuclear Safety Framework' has been carried out by co-operation of members from space industry, nuclear industry and four European TSOs. Some of the main results consist of the outline of a viable safety evaluation approval process with international participation on the European level. The foundations for corresponding nuclear safety goals which account for specific hazards of a space mission with NPS on board are also presented. The slides of the presentation have been added at the end of the paper