U.S. Department of Energy, Oakland Operations Office, 1301 Clay Street, Room 700N, Oakland, CA 94612-5208

18 -- A PROGRAM RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ANNOUNCEMENT FOR NEW CLASSES OF RADIOISOTOPE POWER SYSTEMS AND RELATED TECHNOLOGIES POC Sandra R. Silva, Contracting Officer, (510) 637-1878 NASA's plans for future space and planetary surface mission call for small size spacecraft, landers and robotic explorers. These future missions power requirements cannot be met by the current (nominal 300 watt electrical) General Purpose Heat Source- Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (GPHS-RTG). Future mission requirements must be met by new technology Radioisotope Power systems (RPS) having electrical power outputs in the three ranges (30 to 150 milliwatts, 5 to 20 watts, and 100 to 200 watts) while maximizing conversion efficiency and other desirable RPS attributes: i.e., long lift (15 year missions), and the ability to withstand launch and space environments. In addition, there is a requirement for improvement for the one watt thermal Radioisotope Heater Unit (RHU) used for thermal control of items such as electronic packages, batteries and scientific instruments. Development of new units at the 1 to 10 watt heat levels will also be required. In both cases development of reducedmass and volume packaging systems, while maintaining or enhancing nuclear safety, is desirable. The Department of Energy intends to issue a Program Research and Development Announcement (PRDA) soliciting proposals for new, innovative energy conversion concepts and cutting edge technologies and for furthering the performance of promising current conversion technologies. Proposals are also solicited for improved packaging systems for radioisotope fuel sources in the three power level ranges which maintain or improve the current GPHS nuclear flight safety margins. Proposals are solicited in the following areas: (1) RPS Power Conversion Technologies (a) Conceptual design of various high efficiency, low cost thermal to electric type conversion systems within the three ranges specified. (b) Prototypic component design, fabrication and performance/lift test for developed conversion technologies. (2) New Radioisotope Heat Sources Designs (a) Conceptual design for improved packaging systems for the radioisotope heat sources in each of the three power level ranges, supporting key safety analysis trade-off studies and proposed safety verification testing plan. (3) New Heat Rejection System (a) Innovative new designs for light weight, high efficiency heat rejection systems, assessment of the application of new heat rejection systems to several conversion systems and demonstration of fabrication feasibility and performance. (4) New Materials Assessment and Development (a) Assessment of the application of advanced materials, or proposed studies for materials development, to enhance RPS and RHU performance and endurance. Identification and assessment of critical materials compatibility issues and performance/economic benefits. (5) New RPS Power System Concepts (a) Conceptual design, performance prediction, manufacture, performance/life testing of electrically heated (simiulated radioisotope heat source) innovative new high efficiency power systems or subsystems based on one of the indicated power ranges. (6) New RHU Designs (a) Innovative, safe and light weight designs for one, five and ten watt units. Potential RPS technologies or new concepts may be in various stages of development. These phases are: Phase I (up to 12 months with funding up to $300,000) comprises a conceptual design, feasibility assessment, performance prediction and demonstration plan for the proposed conversion technologies or materials studies. Phase II (up to 16 months with funding up to $600,000) comprises component/materials fabrication and performance testing including, if applicable preliminary life/performance degradation modeling. Phase III (up to 12 months with funding up to $600,000) comprises extended life/performance testing, upgrade of life/performance degradation modeling and technical transfer activity. Offerors may submit proposals for one or more phases. Transition from one phase to another will be at the option of DOE pending a review of results of the effort to date and the availability of funding. This PRDA is directed to universities and industry. Universities and private industry may team with each other or, if applicable, with government national laboratories. It is anticipated that up to one half of the funding will be available for awards to universities. The solicitation will be available for downloading on the Internet. Interested parties may obtain a copy of the solicitation by accessing the Internet using any Web browser, at the DOE Oakland Operations Office Home Page, http://www.oak.doe.gov. No paper copies of the solicitation will be made available. Prospective offerors who do not have electronic capability to download the solicitation may submit a written request to Maria Hernandez for a diskette copy of the solicitation. The requester must include a self-addressed stamped envelope and an MS-DOS formatted high-density 3 1/2" virus free diskette. Prospective offerors who fail to submit an appropriate diskette or self-addressed stamped envelope will not receive the solicitation. Pertinent information regarding this solicitation can be found on the DOE Oakland Operations Office Home Page. It is anticipated that the solicitation will be issued in May 1997. Although not a part of this solicitation, a NASA/JPL/DOE workshop will be held on June 2-4, 1997 at the Doubletree Hotel in Pasadena, California. The purpose of the workshop is to provide information on NASA/JPL future plans for space exploration initiatives, progress in small spacecraft technology and the need for improving radioisotope power systems and the areas of improvement being sought. Additional information on the workshop can be found on the DOE Oakland Operations Office Home Page at http://www.oak.doe.gov. (0134)

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