NTR Fuel Testing in MIT Reactor Facilities

This Phase-IIE continues the ground-breaking work started in Phase-I and Continued through the first year of Phase-II. To qualify for a Phase-IIE, Little Prairie Services, LLC, submitted two proposals to DODs Operational Energy Capability Improvement Fund, (OECIF), one of which was funded. What was funded through OECIF to the $899,000 level was the development of a revolutionary new concept, a moderator particle. The external funding allow development and non-nuclear testing of the newly developed moderator particles. This Phase-IIE contains two parts. The first part funds the necessary efforts to design a specialty test capsule, develop ground support equipment, and develop procedures for testing the moderator particle in the MIT Reactor. Finally, it funds the nuclear testing of the moderator particles. The second part is a conceptual design exercise for a compact space/terrestrial nuclear power system.

NASA is pursuing the development of a Nuclear Thermal Rocket for solar system exploration.  A functional NTR design cannot occur without fuel that is tested to operational conditions.  This STTR will provide the ability to test actual fuel by developing the fuel test capsule and testing surrogate fuel. The Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory may also be testing fuel and would use the LPS-MIT team to do so.  

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.