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Division Spotlight
Operations & Power
Members focus on the dissemination of knowledge and information in the area of power reactors with particular application to the production of electric power and process heat. The division sponsors meetings on the coverage of applied nuclear science and engineering as related to power plants, non-power reactors, and other nuclear facilities. It encourages and assists with the dissemination of knowledge pertinent to the safe and efficient operation of nuclear facilities through professional staff development, information exchange, and supporting the generation of viable solutions to current issues.
Meeting Spotlight
ANS Student Conference 2025
April 3–5, 2025
Albuquerque, NM|The University of New Mexico
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!
Latest Magazine Issues
Feb 2025
Jul 2024
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
March 2025
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
February 2025
Latest News
Colin Judge: Testing structural materials in Idaho’s newest hot cell facility
Idaho National Laboratory’s newest facility—the Sample Preparation Laboratory (SPL)—sits across the road from the Hot Fuel Examination Facility (HFEF), which started operating in 1975. SPL will host the first new hot cells at INL’s Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC) in 50 years, giving INL researchers and partners new flexibility to test the structural properties of irradiated materials fresh from the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) or from a partner’s facility.
Materials meant to withstand extreme conditions in fission or fusion power plants must be tested under similar conditions and pushed past their breaking points so performance and limitations can be understood and improved. Once irradiated, materials samples can be cut down to size in SPL and packaged for testing in other facilities at INL or other national laboratories, commercial labs, or universities. But they can also be subjected to extreme thermal or corrosive conditions and mechanical testing right in SPL, explains Colin Judge, who, as INL’s division director for nuclear materials performance, oversees SPL and other facilities at the MFC.
SPL won’t go “hot” until January 2026, but Judge spoke with NN staff writer Susan Gallier about its capabilities as his team was moving instruments into the new facility.
Technical Session|Fission Surface Power/Nuclear Electric Propulsion
Thursday, May 9, 2024|3:15–4:55PM MDT|Sweeney B
Session Chair:
Georgette Alexander-Morrison (X Energy)
Session Organizer:
Alternate Chair:
Aditya Shivprasad
We have a full line up of fast paced talks for this session - I know it is late in the day - but come join us for a great variety of papers. NOTICE: This session will include discussions on NUCLEAR Launch Safety (which extends beyond FSP and NEP payloads).
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Multiphysics Analysis of Compact Failsafe Nuclear Fission Power System for Space and Extraterrestrial Surface Application
3:15–3:21PM MDT
Aanchal Gupta (Univ. Illinois, Urbana-Champaign), Rizwan-uddin (Univ. Illinois, Urbana-Champaign), Magdi Ragheb (Univ. Illinois, Urbana-Champaign)
Paper
Radiological Contingency Planning Under the NSPM-20 Framework
3:21–3:27PM MDT
Alexander Q. Gilbert (Zeno Power Systems)
Assessment of Canadian Fission Surface Power Options
3:27–3:33PM MDT
Justin Spencer (Canadian Nuclear Laboratories)
MOOSE: Canada's Space Nuclear Power Concept
3:33–3:39PM MDT
Devan Wagner (MDA)
Aluminum Cemented Tungsten Tetraboride Bearings for Dusty Space Environments
3:39–3:45PM MDT
Andrew Makepeace (Millennitek), Candice Kinsler-Fedon (Howmet Aerospace), Drew Spradling (Millennitek)
Overview of Experimental Design and Testing at the MIT Research Reactor in Support of Space Nuclear Technology Development
3:45–3:51PM MDT
Nesrin Cetiner (MIT), Arunkumar Seshadri (MIT), Jiankai Yu (MIT), David Sprouster (MIT), Yina Huang (MIT), Jason Schulthess (INL), Sacit Cetiner (MIT), Steven Hoak (MIT), David Carpenter (MIT), Lance Snead (MIT), Koroush Shirvan (MIT)
Demonstration of the In-Pile Steady State Extreme Temperature Testbed at the Ohio State University Research Reactor
3:51–3:57PM MDT
Emily Hutchins (Univ. Tennessee, Knoxville), Lawrence Heilbronn (Univ. Tennessee, Knoxville), Brandon Wilson (ORNL), N. Dianne Bull Ezell (ORNL)
On the Qualification Process of a New Radiography System for the Inspection of Carbon Bonded Carbon Fiber Sleeves and Discs
3:57–4:03PM MDT
Nidia C. Gallego (ORNL), Rex Veach (ORNL), Roger Miller (ORNL)
NRC Literature Review Report on the Safety Review Process for Space Nuclear System Launches
4:03–4:09PM MDT
S. Tina Ghosh (U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission), Steven Shockley (U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission), Trey Hathaway (U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission)
NASA's Inaugural Nuclear Flight Safety Handbook, NASA-HDBK-8715.26
4:09–4:15PM MDT
Donald Helton (NASA Headquarters)
Presentation Slides (Visible to Attendees)
The Nuclear Launch Safety Analysis Toolchain: Status Report
4:15–4:21PM MDT
Mario Mendoza (Ultra Safe Nuclear), Kevin A. Makinson (Ultra Safe Nuclear)
ASTM Standard Development for Safe Operating Practices In-Space for Space Fission Reactors used for Nuclear Power and Propulsion
4:21–4:27PM MDT
Randy Bell (Aerospace Corp), Don Helton (NASA)
Recent High-Temperature Heat Pipe Work at Advanced Cooling Technologies
4:27–4:33PM MDT
Calin Tarau (Advanced Cooling Technologies), Jeff Diebold (Advanced Cooling Technologies), Sandeep Hatte (Advanced Cooling Technologies), Brett Leitherer (Advanced Cooling Technologies), Kuan-Lin Lee (Advanced Cooling Technologies)
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