Nuclear Aircraft Feasibility Study (Executive Summary)

Abstract : The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of applying nuclear propulsion to aircraft in performance of the Air Force Mission. This was accomplished by using a systems approach with the system divided into six areas: (1) Mission Selection, (2) Required Mission Avionics, (3) Aircraft Design, (4) Propulsion System Design, (5) Public Safety, and (6) Cost. The overriding constraint of the study was the assumption that technology would limit an aircraft gross weight to 2,000,000 lbs in the 1990's. At this gross weight, an aircraft built using conventional construction methods and powered by a liquid metal cooled nuclear reactor, but using only chemical fuel for takeoff, would have a negative payload of 120,000 lbs. If the aircraft were constructed using advanced composites and a liquid metal cooled reactor with chemical augmentation for takeoff, the payload would be 470,000 lbs. By switching the liquid metal reactor for a similarly constructed helium cooled reactor, the payload would drop from 470,000 lbs to 210,000 lbs. For each individual in the U. S., the risk of being killed by the radioactive particles associated with one of the airborne 574 MW reactors, would be 9.34 X 10 to the - 8th power per year, which is less risk than that of being struck by lightning. The 52,000 hr airframe life cycle cost was estimated to be $26.4 billion for 60 aircraft.