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Conference Spotlight
2026 ANS Annual Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026
Denver, CO|Sheraton Denver
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NRC proposed rule for licensing reactors authorized by DOE, DOD
Nuclear reactor designs approved by the Department of Energy or Department of Defense could get streamlined pathways through the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s commercial licensing process should applicants wish to push the technology into the civilian sector.
A proposed rule introduced April 2 by the NRC would “improve NRC licensing review efficiency, where applicable, by explicitly establishing by regulation an additional means for reactor applicants to demonstrate the safety functions of their reactor designs, and thus, would contribute to the safe and secure use and deployment of civilian nuclear energy technologies.”
Technical Session|Technology Research and Development
Tuesday, April 28, 2026|10:10–11:30AM EDT|Room 302/303/304
Session Chair:
June F. Zakrajsek (The Aerospace Corporation)
Alternate Chair:
Tyler Steiner (NASA GRC)
This session explores the ongoing evolution and critical testing of Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) that are essential for long-duration space missions. Attendees will dive deep into the legacy and recent refurbishment of the General-Purpose Heat Source (GPHS) RTG Flight Unit 5, including its thermal vacuum testing and power performance predictions. Additionally, presentations will cover the current development status of the Next Generation RTG Mod 1, offering a comprehensive look at both our historical engineering foundations and future power systems.
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A Historical Review of the GPHS F5 RTG
10:10–10:30AM EDT
Boyd Allen Tolson (Univ. Dayton Research Institute), Kenton Sherick (Univ. Dayton Research Institute), Chadwick Barklay (Univ. Dayton Research Institute)
Paper
General-Purpose Heat Source Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator Flight Unit 5 Refurbished (GPHS-RTG F5R) Electrically Heated Thermal Vacuum Testing
10:30–10:50AM EDT
Joseph Giglio (INL), Brandon Horkley (INL), Jaymon Birch (INL), Shad Davis (INL)
General-Purpose Heat Source Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator Flight Unit 5 Refurbished (GPHS-RTG F5R) Power Prediction
10:50–11:10AM EDT
Joseph Giglio (INL)
The Next Generation Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator Mod 1 Development Status
11:10–11:30AM EDT
Jaymon C. Birch (INL), Shad E. Davis (INL), Joe Giglio (INL), T. Quinn Kirkham (INL)
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