Abstract
Shield design is one of the most crucial tasks in the integration of a nuclear reactor power system to a manned Mars rover. A multilayered W and LiH shield is found to minimize the shield mass and satisfy the dose rate limit of 30 rem/y to the rover crew. The effect on dose rate of tungsten layers thicknesses and position within the lithium hydride shields is investigated. Due to the large cross section for the W (n,γ) reaction, secondary gammas become a significant radiation source. The man‐rated shield mass for the Mars rover vehicle is correlated to the reactor thermal power. The correlation fits to within 9% of the calculated shield mass and results in an uncertainty of <4% in the overall rover mass. The shield mass varied from 8600 kg to 20580 kg for a reactor thermal power of 100 to 1000 kWt, respectively.
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