Abstract
The development of a modular, closed Brayton cycle (CBC) dynamic isotope power system (DIPS) for early deployment within the Space Exploration Initiative is the current focus of the U.S. Department of Energy sponsored DIPS Demonstration Program. The work is currently focused on the development of a standardized 2.5‐kWe portable generator for multiple applications on the lunar or Martian surface. The DIPS is based on the flight qualified, plutonium‐fueled general purpose heat source (GPHS) modules flown in the Galileo and Ulysses radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs), and on the CBC power conversion technology demonstrated in previous government programs. An examination of the current planning for the First Lunar Outpost (FLO) was completed, which included both power requirements and lunar outpost configurations under development by NASA. Applications pertinent to DIPS were identified, and a technology roadmap designed to deliver two 2.5‐kWe portable DIPS generators for launch late in 1999 was developed.
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