Question 5(b):

Answer:

QUESTIONS FROM CHAIRMAN PETE V. DOMENICI

A number of countries, forging ahead in nuclear R&D and nuclear marketing have challenged our lead in the nuclear energy market. Will not this shift further erode our nation's marketing capability?

Much of our R&D effort on light water reactors (LWR's) is focused on complementing industry efforts to advance the LWR option. When successful, this work will provide the basis for more successful international marketing and advanced LWR systems. In the advanced reactor development program, the Department's primary effort will remain focused on advanced civilian reactor concept development and supporting R&D with emphasis on competitive economics, passive safety, and improved licensability. To date, progress has been encouraging; projected costs appear to be competitive with LWR's and coal plants, innovative passive safety features have been designed and will be tested, NRC interactions to date have been positive, and plant availability estimates are high. We believe that these advanced designs will help

provide a basis for the United States retaining its

leadership role in the nuclear field.

QUESTIONS FROM CHAIRMAN PETE V. DOMENICI

Question 6:

The civilian program is being seriously jeopardized by the diversion of funding to SDI while there is some question as to the how the research will be used by DOD.

What benefits will come to the continuing civilian reactor program as a result of military research efforts?

Military requirements for space reactors are specific and
concern the reduction of size and weight of a reactor, and to
the ability to achieve extremely high temperatures. The
civilian reactor requirements appear to be quite the
opposite, as size, weight, and high temperatures are not
major concerns. Where is the connection between the two
efforts?

Answer:

The most applicable military applications would be those in the multimegawatt range of generating capacity for powering ground-based Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) systems which General Abrahamson has recently indicated to be of interest. There is no current DOE study of this, since extensive information exists for this size range. The duty cycle required by these SDI systems places a premium on transient response and capability to rapidly power up for durations of a few minutes or longer depending on the power demand profile of the system. The engineering of transient response is comparable to the needs of load following central station units for civilian utility service.

The 10 megawatt electric (MWe) units are appropriate to command-control-communications-intelligence functions of SDI and the secure support power needs of Air Force operational

-2

Answer 6
(continued):

units. Such units, modified for civilian service, would be adaptable to industrial cogeneration or remote locations, particularly where total life cycle cost of power or fuel supply logistics dominate the selection process. Military experience will be important in the development of a market for civilian applications.

Space power requirements and technology applications are still under development within the SDI community. It is known that space and weight factors will be at a premium. These factors dictate emphasis on high temperature fuel, coolant and materials technology as well as light weight, compact shielding, and remote instrumentation and control concepts. All of these "space" technologies can benefit civilian power generating units. In addition, DOE's nuclear infrastructure is positioned to support the various defense and space efforts and at the same time will benefit from both the civilian and military/space programs.

QUESTIONS FROM CHAIRMAN PETE V. DOMENICI

Question 7:

The absence of a specific mission for the SP-100 has troubled the Congress for some time. Notwithstanding the general interest of SDI in high power systems, what is being done in the program to further focus and develop the mission? How are the technical and testing requirements influenced by present uncertainties in user requirements?

Answer:

A reference mission for SP-100 was established by the
Strategic Defense Initiative Organization (SDIO) in
September 1985. This mission is an early 1990's launch and
space flight demonstration of a 300 kilowatt electric SP-100
space reactor power system driving one or more electric
propulsion units for the SDIO. The reference mission serves
to ensure proper focus to the ongoing SP-100 Ground
Engineering System (GES) Development and Demonstration
Testing program.

This planned flight demonstration would accomplish three objectives. First, it would demonstrate SP-100 as well as electric propulsion technologies in space. Second, it would flight qualify both SP-100 and electric propulsion systems, making them available for dedicated, ready use. Third, it would prove both the feasibility and utility of actually maneuvering platforms in space to enhance their survivability and offer an available means for their virtually unlimited spatial transfer.

-2

Answer 7
(continued):

Preliminary planning for this flight demonstration was
initiated by SDIO in late FY 1985. Moreover, funding for
this demonstration flight has been included in SDIO's outyear
budget projections. SDIO's preliminary planning effort for
this flight demonstration is now underway with several U.S.
Air Force (USAF) and National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) offices, laboratories, and contractors
participating. A preliminary report of this planning effort,
which involves scoping the activities, schedule, and costs
associated with a 1993 target flight date, is expected in the
summer of 1986.

In addition to the current flight demonstration planning
activities, SP-100 mission analysis and requirements
definition efforts continue to be conducted for military
missions by the USAF (as an executing agent of SDIO), and for
civilian missions by NASA. The status and results of these
efforts will be periodically presented to the SP-100 Missions
Advisory Panel, a top-level body representing both the
civilian and military mission/user agencies. This panel will
provide advice, counsel, and recommendations to the SDIO
Space Power Manager from a missions, requirements, and users'
perspective. Any changes to requirements impacting the
design, development, or testing effort that are adopted as a