ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Division Spotlight
Robotics & Remote Systems
The Mission of the Robotics and Remote Systems Division is to promote the development and application of immersive simulation, robotics, and remote systems for hazardous environments for the purpose of reducing hazardous exposure to individuals, reducing environmental hazards and reducing the cost of performing work.
Meeting Spotlight
International Conference on Mathematics and Computational Methods Applied to Nuclear Science and Engineering (M&C 2025)
April 27–30, 2025
Denver, CO|The Westin Denver Downtown
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!
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
May 2025
Nuclear Technology
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Latest News
TerraPower begins U.K. regulatory approval process
Seattle-based TerraPower signaled its interest this week in building its Natrium small modular reactor in the United Kingdom, the company announced.
TerraPower sent a letter to the U.K.’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, formally establishing its intention to enter the U.K. generic design assessment (GDA) process. This is TerraPower’s first step in deployment of its Natrium technology—a 345-MW sodium fast reactor coupled with a molten salt energy storage unit—on the international stage.
Frederick A. Schumann
Nuclear Technology | Volume 19 | Number 3 | September 1973 | Pages 156-164
Technical Paper | Radioisotope | doi.org/10.13182/NT73-A15877
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A fuel capsule vent system was developed and designed for the radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) in support of the upcoming Viking mission to Mars. Helium is continuously produced within the fuel capsule as a result of isotopic decay. By venting the helium external to the RTG, the initial RTG fill gas is maintained for maximum thermal efficiency. This reduces degradation of thermoelectric converter performance and provides the maximum electrical power for the mission. The logic and analysis, which led to the selection of a closed helium storage system, were made.
