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The Heatpipe-Operated Mars Exploration Reactor (HOMER)
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2001
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EngineeringEnergy EfficiencyReactor DesignHps ProjectReactor PhysicsHeatpipe Power SystemNuclear Reactor DesignHeat PipeSystem ScalabilityMartian ExplorationNuclear Systems SimulationSystems EngineeringNuclear ReactorsElectrical EngineeringHardware-in-the-loop SimulationIn-space Electric PowerComputer EngineeringPropulsionNuclear EngineeringNuclear PowerNuclear EnergyAerospace EngineeringEnergy ManagementThermal HydraulicsNuclear SafetyReactor SafetyReactor ValidationThermal Engineering
The Heatpipe Power System is a low‑cost, near‑term space fission power system under development at LANL, and its Mars‑specific derivative, HOMER, is designed to generate electricity on the Martian surface. The project aims to create a quick, affordable space fission system and to present HOMER’s key attributes, a 20‑kWe point design, scalability, and current technology status. The approach relies on existing technology and designing for inexpensive, prototypic testing with electrical heating to enable an exhaustive, cost‑effective test program and thorough flight‑unit verification. Over the past four years, LANL has successfully conducted three HPS proof‑of‑concept demonstrations.
The Heatpipe Power System (HPS) is a near-term, low-cost, space fission power system that has been under development at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) for 5 years. The goal of the HPS project is to devise an attractive space fission system that can be developed quickly and affordably. The primary ways of doing this are by using existing technology and by designing the system for inexpensive testing. If the system can be designed to allow highly prototypic testing with electrical heating, then an exhaustive test program can be carried out inexpensively and quickly and thorough testing of the actual flight unit can be performed—which is a major benefit to reliability. Over the past 4 years, LANL has conducted three HPS proof-of-concept technology demonstrations—each has been highly successful. The Heatpipe-Operated Mars Exploration Reactor (HOMER) is a derivative of the HPS designed especially for producing electricity on the surface of Mars. The key attributes of the HOMER are described in this paper, as well as a 20-kWe point design, system scalability, and the current technology status.