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REACTOR DEVELOPMENT
Anew statement defining work to be performed in the development of a HNth{um-cooled
reactor system during the year ending September 30, 1959, was agreed to by Pratt & Whitney
and the AEC.
Nuclear Propulsion for Unmanned Vehicles
Nuclear rocket propulsion (Project ROVER). Development work to demonstrate the
feasibility of nuclear rocket propulsion continued at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory
(LASL).
Assembly of Kiwi A, the first of a series of nonflyable experimental reactors for the
project, was begun in late July at the Nevada Test Site. Kiwi A is to have a power output of
100,000 kilowatts. The fuel elements are to be of graphite plate type, and the propellant is to
be pressurized helium and hydrogen gas. However, since the test cell was not completed on
schedule, the installation of the complete reactor and control system was delayed, Checkout
of the system prior to testing is expected to begin in early December,
LASL continued research on reactor materials and basic design for Dumbo A, a 500,000-
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reactor.
As a result of legislation creating the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA), Air Force responsibility for certain nonnuclear components in support of the AEC
ROVER effort has been transferred to NASA. No delay to the project is expected to result from
the rearrangement of the working relationships and the division of responsibilities now being
worked out between the AEC and NASA. The AEC fs to exercise technical direction of the
project within the framework of guidance provided by NASA. Both agencies are in accord with
the objectives and technical approach for the project, which is continuing to be pursued as
vigorously as possible consistent with a sound technological approach,
Nuclear ramjet propulsion (Project PLUTO). Air Force studies have shown that propulsion
of minimum altitude, supersonic missiles may be an extremely promising application of nu-
clear ramjet engines. In t!!s connection the Department of Defense, on July 3, reaffirmed its
interest and requested the AEC to pursue the investigation of the feasibility of nuclear ramjet
propulsion as vigorously as technical progress permits. It was also requested that every
effort be made to meet the scheduled date of January 1960 for the test of Tory 0. Tory I is to
be a nonflyable, experimental reactor of intermediate size which will operate at the high temperatures and power densities required for ramjet operation.
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kilowatt nonflyable experimental reactor. Refractory metal fuel elements are to be used in the
.
Analytical studies, neutron measurements, and materials development and testing con~
tinued at the University of California Radiation Laboratory at Livermore. Beryllium oxide was
selected as the fuel element material for the Tory 0 reactor, and several methods of fabricating the fuel element for the first core were under investigation. The design concept for
Tory I! was frozen and detailed design work was started.
North American Aviation, Inc. (Missile Development Division), Convair Corporation (San
Diego Division}, and Chance Vought Aircraft, Inc., were awarded Air Force contracts to conduct preliminary systems studies on a low altitude supersonic missile powered by nuclear
ramjet.
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Systems for Nuclear Auxiliary Power (SNAP).
DOE ARCHIVES
Development work continued on two sys-
tems to provide nuclear auxiliary power, primarily for the Air Force Advanced Reconnaissance
System, Weapon System 117L, and for other space applications. SNAP-I, being developed by
The Martin Company, is the 500-electric-watt isotope unit. SNAP-~I, under development by
Atomics International, is the 3-electrical-kilowatt reactor unit.
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