Abstract

Closed Brayton cycle power conversion systems are readily adaptable to any heat source contemplated for space application. The inert gas working fluid can be used directly in gas‐cooled reactors and coupled to a variety of heat sources (reactor, isotope or solar) by a heat exchanger. This point is demonstrated by the incorporation in the NASA 2 kWe Solar Dynamic (SD) Space Power Ground Test Demonstration (GTD) Program of the turboalternator‐compressor and recuperator from the Brayton Isotope Power System (BIPS) program. This paper will review the goals and status of the SD GTD Program, initiated in April 1992. The performance of the BIPS isotope‐heated system will be compared to the solar‐heated GTD system incorporating the BIPS components and the applicability of the GTD test bed to dynamics space nuclear power R&D will be discussed.

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