Publications Details

Risk perspectives for TOPAZ II flight mission

Payne Jr., A.C.; Haskin, F.E.

The purpose of this paper is to present a preliminary estimate of the nuclear-related public health risk presented by launching and operating the Russian TOPAZ II space reactor as part of the Nuclear Electric Propulsion Space Test Program (NEPSTP). This risk is then compared to the risks from the operation of commercial nuclear power reactors and previously planned and/or launched space nuclear power missions. For the current mission profile, the initial estimate of the risk posed by launching and operating TOPAZ II is significantly less (at least two orders of magnitude) than that estimated for prior space nuclear missions. Even allowing for the large uncertainties in this estimate, it does not appear that the NEPSTP mission will present a significant health risk to the public.