The Glenn Research Center is supporting the development of the Stirling Convertor with the DOE, Germantown, MD for an advanced Radioisotope Power System (RPS) as a potential power source for on-board electric power for NASA deep space missions (Code S). The technology is directly applicable as the power source for the Outer Planets/Solar Probe missions such as Europa Orbiter and Pluto-Kuiper Express.

The Thermo-Mechanical Systems Branch (5490) of the Power and On-Board Propulsion Technology Division (5400) led a team of GRC specialists in conducting a series of independent evaluations and tests to evaluate the technology readiness of DOE’s 55-We Stirling Convertor. Key areas included: 1) Radiation tolerance of materials (5490/5140), 2) Evaluation while operating during launch conditions in the Structural Dynamics Lab (7735), 3) Evaluation of EMI/EMC while operating in the EMI Lab (7720), 4) Independent FMECA and life & reliability assessment (0510) and 5) Cost estimate for a Stirling RPS (0210). This data was presented to NASA Headquarters (Code S) and JPL mission office by a joint industry/government team consisting of DOE, GRC and LMA in late January. This team concluded no technical showstoppers exist for the Stirling Convertor.

As a direct result of the successful testing conducted at GRC, DOE’s 55-We Stirling Convertor is now considered ready to take the next steps towards developing the technology into an advanced RPS for a future NASA deep space missions. As part of the Code S project, GRC continues an in-house effort (5100/5400/5900) to develop the Stirling Convertor technology in an effort to complete the space qualification and mission implementation.