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Fusion Science and Technology
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A year in orbit: ISS deployment tests radiation detectors for future space missions
The predawn darkness on a cool Florida night was shattered by the ignition of nine Merlin engines on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The thrust of the engines shook the ground miles away. From a distance, the rocket appeared to slowly rise above the horizon. For the cargo onboard, the launch was anything but gentle, as the ignition of liquid oxygen generated more than 1.5 million pounds of force. After the rocket had been out of sight for several minutes, the booster dramatically returned to Earth with several sonic booms in a captivating show of engineering designed to make space travel less expensive and more sustainable.
M. Zucchetti, B. Coppi
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 21 | Number 3 | May 1992 | Pages 2017-2022
Safety, Recycling, and Waste Management | doi.org/10.13182/FST92-A30017
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A study on the activation of the Ignitor machine is performed. The machine has been modelled with the neutron transport code ANISN, in orderto calculate the neutron fluxes. These have been input in the inventory code ANITA, and the neutron-induced radioactivity in the structures of the machine is obtained. It becomes clear that the activation of certain parts of the machine (vessel, magnets) requires the adoption of remote handling equipment for their maintenance. The substitution of INCONEL 625 (vessel material for Ignitor) by a material with lower long-term activation is discussed.