Power for Exploration: A Look at the National Research Council's Review of NASA's Exploration Technology Development Program

The availability of safe, reliable, low -mass electrical power is critical to the success of NASA's Vision for Space Exploration (VSE). Accordingly, NASA has two projects within its Exploration Technology Development Program (ETDP) devoted to developing technologies for advanced space electrical power: energy storage and fission surface power (FSP). In 2007, at the request of NASA, the National Research Council f ormed a committee to review ETDP, including the two projects devoted to space power. The review committee found that both power projects along with the other 20 projects then comprising the ETDP were operating under serious fiscal constraints. This paper provides an overview of the report with specific emphasis on energy storage and fission surface power.