| Abstract Scope |
Molten metallic fuels have tempted several generations of reactor designers. They promise high burnup, high power density, and for nuclear thermal rocket (NTR) applications, the potential for favorable specific impulses and thrust-to-weight ratios over solid core NTRs. However, molten metallic fuels present enduring challenges and uncertainties, including selection and certification of containment materials. Candidate molten fuels are chemically aggressive, even in refractory containment materials. The effects of transmutation and microstructure evolution on container performance and longevity in reactor environments are poorly characterized. Renewed interest in long distance human spaceflight as well as military operations in cislunar and deep space motivate renewed attention to this problem space. Prior experiments are critically assessed and opportunities based on modern developments in physical metallurgy, characterization and modeling are presented. A novel helium-cooled molten core reactor concept is presented for demonstrative purposes. |