SPACECRAFT NUCLEAR POWER PLANT Russian patent published in 2004 - IPC

FIELD: power supplies for spacecraft. SUBSTANCE: proposed nuclear power plant installed on board spacecraft incorporating large-size outboard structures such as miscellaneous antennas has reactor equipped with beryllium reflector and lithium-hydrate radiation shadowing shield; conical outer surface of reactor side reflector has its larger base facing spacecraft and its angle is found considering following condition: ratio of changes in beryllium mass through tangent of angle to accordant change in fluence of neutrons dissipated on outboard structure should equal ratio of lithium hydrate shield mass through thickness to accordant change in fluence of neutrons passed through shield from lithium hydrate. Reactor has no additional cooling system. EFFECT: reduced mass and size due to simplified design. 1 cl, 2 dwg