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Conference Spotlight
2025 ANS Winter Conference & Expo
November 8–12, 2025
Washington, DC|Washington Hilton
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 News 40 Under 40—2025
Last year, we proudly launched the inaugural Nuclear News 40 Under 40 list to shine a spotlight on the exceptional young professionals driving the nuclear sector forward as the nuclear community faces a dramatic generational shift. We weren’t sure how a second list would go over, but once again, our members resoundingly answered the call, confirming what we already knew: The nuclear community is bursting with vision, talent, and extraordinary dedication.
David F. Berganni, Robert R. Barthelemy
Nuclear Technology | Volume 1 | Number 1 | February 1965 | Pages 49-54
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NT65-A20463
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A major safety requirement imposed by the AEC on the utilization of radioisotopes as heat sources in direct cycle thrustors is that the fuel temperature will never exceed its melting temperature. This design condition implies low thrustor thermal efficiency. One promising concept for recovering some of this energy loss is a combined thrustor and thermoelectric generator. Analytical investigations indicate that this combined unit powered by four kilowatts of radioisotope heat source can produce typically 0.1 pound thrust at specific impulses greater than 750 seconds and an electrical power output of 50 watts. Under no propellant flow (zero thrust) conditions, the same unit can provide 150 watts of electric power.