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Enhancing the capabilities of unmanned space exploration, such as satellite monitoring and space science missions, requires efficient and reliable nuclear power systems. A viable solution is found in the 1–10 kWe power level of space nuclear reactor power systems, offering advantages such as a manageable research and development process, and relatively low investment requirements. This paper introduces a conceptual design for a 5 kWe space nuclear reactor power system, outlining its components and characteristics. The study includes a thorough analysis of potential challenges, encompassing heat pipe failure accidents, re-entry scenarios, and weight estimation considerations. The results demonstrate that the proposed space nuclear reactor power system effectively meets the safety requirements. The total mass of the power system is estimated at approximately 1.5 tons, with a specific mass of around 300 kg/kWe. This research contributes valuable insights for the design of space nuclear reactor power systems operating within a similar power range.

Heat pipe cooled nuclear reactor has been a very attractive technical solution to provide the power for deep space applications. In this paper, a 200 kWe space nuclear reactor power design has been proposed based on the combination of an integrated UN ceramic fuel, a heat pipe cooling system and the Stirling power generators. Neutronics and thermal analysis have been performed on the space nuclear reactor. It was found that the entire reactor core has at least 3.9 $ subcritical even under the worst-case submersion accident superimposed a single safety drum failure, and results from fuel temperature coefficient, neutron spectrum and power distribution analysis also showed that this reactor design satisfies the neutronics requirements. Thermal analysis showed that the power in the core can be successfully removed both in normal operation or under one or more heat pipes failure scenarios.