ANS Nuclear Cafe Matinee: DUFF Space Nuclear Reactor Prototype

November 30, 2012, 7:00AMANS Nuclear Cafe

A joint Department of Energy and NASA team has demonstrated a simple, robust fission reactor prototype [note: see Comments for more accurate and complete description] intended for development for future space exploration missions. The DUFF (Demonstration Using Flattop Fissions) experiment represents the first demonstration in the United State-since 1965-of a space nuclear reactor system to produce electricity.