Progress Towards the Development of a Long-Lived Venus Lander Duplex System
- Author:
- Bruder, Geoffrey A.
- Published:
- July 26, 2010.
- Physical Description:
- 1 electronic document
- Additional Creators:
- Dyson, Roger W.
- Access Online:
- hdl.handle.net
- Restrictions on Access:
- Unclassified, Unlimited, Publicly available.
- Summary:
- NASA has begun the development of a combined Stirling cycle power and cooling system (duplex) to enable the long-lived surface exploration of Venus and other harsh environments in the solar system. The duplex system will operate from the heat provided by decaying radioisotope plutonium-238 or its substitute. Since the surface of Venus has a thick, hot, and corrosive atmosphere, it is a challenging proposition to maintain sensitive lander electronics under survivable conditions. This development effort requires the integration of: a radioisotope or fission heat source; heat pipes; high-temperature, corrosion-resistant material; multistage cooling; a novel free-displacer Stirling convertor for the lander; and a minimal vibration thermoacoustic Stirling convertor for the seismometer. The first year effort includes conceptual system design and control studies, materials development, and prototype hardware testing. A summary of these findings and test results is presented in this report.
- Collection:
- NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) Collection.
- Note:
- Document ID: 20110012039., E-17389., and 8th Annual International Energy Conversion Engineering Conference; 25 - 28 Jul. 2010; Nashville, GN; United States.
- Terms of Use and Reproduction:
- No Copyright.
- Access Online:
- hdl.handle.net
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