Open AccessLightweight Radioisotope Heater Unit (LWRHU) production for the Cassini mission
Author(s) -
Gary H. Rinehart
Publication year - 1996
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/259418
Subject(s) - spacecraft , pyrolytic carbon , fabrication , nuclear engineering , graphite , environmental science , materials science , aerospace engineering , engineering , waste management , pyrolysis , composite material , medicine , alternative medicine , pathology
The Lightweight Radioisotope Heater Unit (LWRHU) is a {sup 238}PuO{sub 2} fueled heat source designed to provide a thermal watt of power for space missions. The LWRHU will be used to maintain the temperature of various components on the spacecraft at the required level. The heat source consists of a {sup 238}PuO{sub 2} fuel pellet, a Pt-30Rh capsule, a pyrolytic graphite insulator, and a woven graphite aeroshell assembly. Los Alamos has fabricated 180 heater units, which will be used on the Cassini mission. This report summarizes the specifications, fabrication processes, and production data for the heat sources fabricated at Los Alamos