Aerospace Nuclear Safety at APL: 1997-2006

NASA's Galileo, Cassini, Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity, and New Horizons spacecraft have returned spectacular planetary scientific findings, including tantalizing evidence of conditions that might support life on Europa, Mars, and Enceladus. These missions were all enabled by space nuclear power. Preparation for NASA missions carrying nuclear material must consider the possibilities of launch accidents and the subsequent disposition of the nuclear fuel regionally and worldwide. The formal safety effort centers on compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act and Presidential launch approval processes. These processes are rooted in sound management, engineering, physics, and public safety principles, requiring significant analytical, experimental, and scientific studies. APL has contributed to the aerospace nuclear safety of these and past missions for more than 35 years. This article describes highlights of APL's contributions to the government's aerospace nuclear safety activities associated with NASA's nuclear launches from 1996 to 2006.