Chapter 16 - Nuclear rocket engine testing

Abstract

Before any flight test of a nuclear engine can take place, considerable testing of the engine will have to be performed at both the component and engine level. During the days of the Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Applications (NERVA) program in the United States, open-air testing of the engine was performed with little regard to the containment of fission products in the engine exhaust. Even though the contamination of the environment surrounding the NERVA test area was minimal, in today's regulatory environment, it is unlikely that such testing would be allowed again. As a result, the testing of nuclear rocket engines will probably require a variety of test facilities ranging from small nonnuclear facilities for component testing up to very large facilities to test the entire engine assembly for long durations with total engine exhaust containment.