Jake Hecla Dept. of Nuclear Science and Engineering, MIT

Zoom link: https://mit.zoom.us/j/94955805487

Abstract:

The race to build a nuclear-powered aircraft has been described as the high-water mark of Cold War military extravagance: a technology so impractical and inherently dangerous that it could not exist in any other context. However, Russia’s development of the Burevestnik (SSC-X-9 Skyfall), a nuclear-powered cruise missile, suggests some military planners may again envision a role for endo-atmospheric nuclear propulsion.

Patent and publication activity in Russia, as well as in other states, indicates work on air-breathing nuclear propulsion is at a level of activity not seen since the 1950s. Though the developmental histories of these systems are complex, recent innovations in uncrewed systems have removed many of the enduring barriers to developing nuclear-powered flight. Despite the apparent resurgence of interest in endo-atmospheric nuclear propulsion, little work exists exploring key enabling technologies, the signatures associated with nuclear flight, or potential applications in 21st century arsenals. This presentation will provide an overview of the technology of air-breathing nuclear propulsion, a review of past programs, and comments on avenues of research exploring the limits of this exotic form of propulsion.

BIO:

Jake Hecla is a Stanton Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the Laboratory for Nuclear Security and Policy. His research interests focus on emerging technologies, including nuclear thermal propulsion, micro-reactors, and advanced radiation detection techniques. Hecla holds a PhD and MS in nuclear engineering from the University of California, Berkeley and a BS in nuclear science and engineering from MIT.