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Aerospace Nuclear Science & Technology
Organized to promote the advancement of knowledge in the use of nuclear science and technologies in the aerospace application. Specialized nuclear-based technologies and applications are needed to advance the state-of-the-art in aerospace design, engineering and operations to explore planetary bodies in our solar system and beyond, plus enhance the safety of air travel, especially high speed air travel. Areas of interest will include but are not limited to the creation of nuclear-based power and propulsion systems, multifunctional materials to protect humans and electronic components from atmospheric, space, and nuclear power system radiation, human factor strategies for the safety and reliable operation of nuclear power and propulsion plants by non-specialized personnel and more.
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2025 ANS Annual Conference
June 15–18, 2025
Chicago, IL|Chicago Marriott Downtown
Standards Program
The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
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Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Deep Isolation validates its disposal canister for TRISO spent fuel
Nuclear waste disposal technology company Deep Isolation announced it has successfully completed Project PUCK, a government-funded initiative to demonstrate the feasibility and potential commercial readiness of its Universal Canister System (UCS) to manage TRISO spent nuclear fuel.
L. C. Carlson, P. Fitzsimmons, S. Pajoom, R. Petzoldt, A. Tambazidis, D. Harding, R. Chapman, J. Ulreich, M. Wittman
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 73 | Number 2 | March 2018 | Pages 107-118
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/15361055.2017.1406240
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Capsule fill-tube target assemblies (CFTAs) for direct drive have been demonstrated in the past for Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) cryogenic layering studies, evolving and building upon successful deliveries for the National Ignition Facility [Saito et al., Fusion Sci. Tech., Vol. 55, p. 337 (2009); Johal et al., Fusion Sci. Tech., Vol. 55, p. 331 (2009); Saito et al., Fusion Sci. Tech., Vol. 59, p. 271 (2011); Moreno et al., Fusion Sci. Tech., Vol. 59, p. 46 (2011); and Rice et al., High Power Laser Sci. Eng., Vol. 5, p. 7 (2017)]. The current 100 Gigabar (GBar) Campaign requires tighter specifications over prior CFTA work in terms of robustness and reduced fill-tube diameter and glue spot size, which impact the survivability of the CFTA. To tackle these challenges, General Atomics and LLE are developing a direct-drive CFTA that survives all fabrication activities, from assembly and qualification testing to transport, cryogenic layering, and target chamber insertion at the Omega Laser Facility.
Fifty-five CFTAs of three main designs have been constructed and tested to date, building off the current LLE cryogenic layering study of CFTA design (typically 870-μm-diameter × 25-μm-thick wall capsule). Variations of glass fill tube sizes ranged from 30, 20, and 10 µm in diameter. Testing protocols were developed to enable comparison of different designs against one another and to evaluate their robustness at room temperature. The testing protocols include leak checks, resonant vibration mode identification, and vibration survival testing against a power spectral density input. This paper compares the different design trade-offs, measurements, and results including room temperature survivability, ringdown response, leak tests, and scanning electron microscope images taken of failed fill tubes and glue joints. A design recommendation is put forth meeting the design constraints, which consists of a polymicro-composite tube and 10-µm fill tube, ensuring survivability at cryogenic temperature, a higher first-resonance mode, and smaller fuel volume.
