Particle fuel development for solid core space nuclear power

Advanced nuclear fuel development has been spurred by the space exploration initiative (SEI) to develop fuels that support lunar and Mars missions. Fuel performance requirements have been derived from preliminary mission requirements for nuclear thermal and nuclear electric propulsion. The strategy for development of advanced fuels is to develop fuels for high-temperatures which effectively also enhances fuels for terrestrial or nuclear electric propulsion by limiting the diffusion rates at operating temperature and lengthens the operating time at lower temperatures. Development of high-temperature fuels based on a cryochemical process is discussed