Requirements and Designs for Mars Rover RTGs

Schock, Alfred ; Shirbacheh, M ; Sankarankandath, V

Fairchild Space Company

关键词: NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems;    RTGs;    GPHS;    MOD;    Multifold thermal insulation;    Mars Rover;   

DOI  :  10.2172/1033420
RP-ID  :  FSC-ESD-217/89/448
PID  :  OSTI ID: 1033420
Others  :  Other: Orbital ID: 10296
Others  :  Call Number: 40-02

美国|英语

来源: SciTech Connect

【 摘 要 】

The current-generation RTGs (both GPHS and MOD) are designed for operation in a vacuum environment. The multifoil thermal insulation used in those RTGs only functions well in a good vacuum. Current RTGs are designed to operate with an inert cover gas before launch, and to be vented to space vacuum after launch. Both RTGs are sealed with a large number of metallic C-rings. Those seals are adequate for retaining the inert-gas overpressure during short-term launch operations, but would not be adequate to prevent intrusion of the Martian atmospheric gases during long-term operations there. Therefore, for the Mars Rover application, those RTGs just be modified to prevent the buildup of significant pressures of Mars atmosphere or of helium (from alpha decay of the fuel). In addition, a Mars Rover RTG needs to withstand a long-term dynamic environment that is much more severe than that seen by an RTG on an orbiting spacecraft or on a stationary planetary lander. This paper describes a typical Rover mission, its requirements, the environment it imposes on the RTG, and a design approach for making the RTG operable in such an environment. Specific RTG designs for various thermoelectric element alternatives are presented.; Reference CID #9268 and CID #9276.