The Lunar Evolutionary Growth-Optimized (LEGO)
Reactor Reactor is a modular, fast-fission, heatpipe-
cooled, clustered-reactor system for lunar-surface
power generation. The reactor is divided into
subcritical units that can be safely launched within
lunar shipments from the Earth, and then emplaced
directly into holes drilled into the lunar regolith
to form a critical reactor assembly. The regolith
not only would just provide radiation shielding, but
also would serve as neutron-reflector material. The
reactor subunits are to be manufactured using proven
and tested materials for use in radiation
environments, such as uranium-dioxide fuel,
stainless-steel cladding and structural support, and
liquid-sodium heatpipes. The LEGO Reactor system
promotes reliability, safety, and ease of
manufacture and testing at the cost of an increase
in launch mass per overall rated power level and a
reduction in neutron economy when compared to a
single-reactor system. Additional subunits may be
launched with future missions to increase the
cluster size and electrical power generation
according to desired lunar base power demand and
lifetime.
Reactor Reactor is a modular, fast-fission, heatpipe-
cooled, clustered-reactor system for lunar-surface
power generation. The reactor is divided into
subcritical units that can be safely launched within
lunar shipments from the Earth, and then emplaced
directly into holes drilled into the lunar regolith
to form a critical reactor assembly. The regolith
not only would just provide radiation shielding, but
also would serve as neutron-reflector material. The
reactor subunits are to be manufactured using proven
and tested materials for use in radiation
environments, such as uranium-dioxide fuel,
stainless-steel cladding and structural support, and
liquid-sodium heatpipes. The LEGO Reactor system
promotes reliability, safety, and ease of
manufacture and testing at the cost of an increase
in launch mass per overall rated power level and a
reduction in neutron economy when compared to a
single-reactor system. Additional subunits may be
launched with future missions to increase the
cluster size and electrical power generation
according to desired lunar base power demand and
lifetime.