الوصفAEC-69-8501 PHOTOTYPE OF COMPACT NUCLEAR REACTORS which may one day supply power on the moon or aboard spacecraft, the SNAP-8DR is undergoing ground tests at the Santa Susanna Nuclear Field Laboratory of Atomic International (AI). It uses much of the technology of the SNAP-10A, a compact reactor system which in 1965 became the first nuclear reactor to operate in earth orbit, and was similarly built by AI for the AEC. For its design potential for lunar mission, earth orbiting laboratories and deep space voyages, the reactor system offers long life without the need of maintenance. At full power operation, it is designed to produce 600Kv. Of thermal energy. Photo shows a technician inserting one of 211 fuel elements into the core vessel during initial critically experiments. (SNAP stands for System for Nuclear Auxiliary Power.) Credit: Atomic International
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