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Management of Commercially Generated Radioactive Waste - U.S. ...

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6.142<br />

Retrievability/Recovery. Until the waste package had been successfully disposed <strong>of</strong> in<br />

accordance with the design, retrieval or recovery capability would be necessary. A discus-<br />

sion <strong>of</strong> the rescue technology required for such a retrieval capability is presented in<br />

Section 6.1.8.3 below.<br />

6.1.8.3. Status <strong>of</strong> Technical Development and R&D Needs<br />

Present State <strong>of</strong> Development and Technological Issues<br />

While the space option appears technically feasible, there are engineering problems that<br />

would require resolution. The Space Shuttle is currently in development and the first orbi-<br />

tal flight is scheduled in 1981. The Space Transportation System should eventually (1990s)<br />

include a Space Shuttle with liquid rocket boosters (replacing current solid rocket boosters)<br />

and a reusable OTV. NASA has studied such vehicles extensively for future space missions and<br />

they represent a logical extension <strong>of</strong> the space transportation capability upon which to base<br />

a reference concept.<br />

Many aspects <strong>of</strong> the space disposal system represent straightforward, applications <strong>of</strong><br />

existing technology, e.g., use <strong>of</strong> liquid propellants and reentry vehicle design; however ex-<br />

tensive'engineering development would be required. The major technology development require-<br />

ments are in design for safety, environmental impact analysis <strong>of</strong> space launches, and waste<br />

preparation. The nuclear waste payload container and reentry vehicle are only conceptually<br />

defined and additional study would be required to assure that safety and environmental re-<br />

quirements could be met in case <strong>of</strong> launch pad and reentry accidents. Development <strong>of</strong> a capa-<br />

bility for deep space rendezvous and docking to correct improper orbit <strong>of</strong> a waste package<br />

would be required. The current status <strong>of</strong> development and research needs in specific areas<br />

are discussed below.<br />

Emplacement Methods. The technology for launching both nuclear and nonnuclear payloads<br />

into space is highly developed, but the technology for putting nuclear waste in space is<br />

still in a conceptual stage. Earlier experience with space nuclear auxiliary power (SNAP)<br />

systems employing radioactive thermoelectric generators provides some experience, particu-<br />

larly in safety analyses, but the amounts <strong>of</strong> radioactive materials in such systems are much<br />

less than those that would be associated with waste payloads. The present DOE/NASA concep-<br />

tual definition is based on technology and equipment used previously in other space missions<br />

but which would require design modifications for use in waste disposal missions. For exam-<br />

ple, the Space Shuttle power plant would need to be upgraded to increase payload capacity and<br />

thereby reduce the number <strong>of</strong> flights required. On the basis <strong>of</strong> the results obtained in the<br />

space program, considerable confidence has been gained in ability to design the necessary<br />

high-reliability systems. Procedures currently being developed to address abort contingen-<br />

cies for the manned Space Shuttle would be useful to mitigate adverse effects <strong>of</strong> aborts in<br />

waste launch operations.

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