Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC)

Our mission is to enable the settlement of outer space and meet humanity’s clean energy needs through developing commercial nuclear technologies.

Created: 2020-05-16

Updated: 2024-01-20

Founded
Country
2011
USA
Funding
$3M+
Website
https://usnc.com/
Social
Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC)

Product/Service - Pylon

Classification
Space Utilities
Category
Resources - Energy
Nuclear Fission Power
Commercial Rover
Orbital Transportation
Fields
Nuclear Fission Power
Nuclear Power
Transport Service (In-Space)
Status
Development
First launch
Not announced

The Pylon is a 4500 kg 125-150 kWe radiatively-cooled gas-cooled micro-modular reactor (MMR).

10-TON CLASS MICRO REACTOR - Configurable for Earth and Space
Pylon builds on the expertise of Ultra Safe's MMR and FCM Fuel technologies. The Pylon architecture is a commercially viable fission power system designed for safely generating electrical and thermal power anywhere. Compared to MMR, Pylon is a lower mass system that is more easily transportable to off-grid locations and space.

Approximately 800 kW of waste heat at temperatures between 300-500 K is available for in-situ resource exploration and acquisition. In addition, up to 1150 K process heat is available. The Pylon design is such that it can be delivered to the Lunar Surface on a large CLPS class lander such as the Blue Moon. The temperature ranges are well-suited to utilize currently available directly-cycle Brayton energy conversion technology.

The Defense Innovation Unit announced May 17 it selected Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp. and Avalanche Energy to develop small nuclear-powered spacecraft for in-space demonstrations planned for 2027. Seattle-based Ultra Safe Nuclear will demonstrate a chargeable, encapsulated nuclear radioisotope battery called EmberCore.

USNC Awarded $5M NASA Nuclear Propulsion Contract, 2023-10-17

Sources


Most sources should be linked in the texts and headings as revealed by mouse-over, but here are they listed for visibility.

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