SNAP Aerospace Safety Program Quarterly Technical Progress Report, July- September 1962

Statements are presented concerning project objectives, major accomplishments in FY 1962, progress during the report period, evaluation of effort to date, and next report period activities. The subject material covers reactor separation and fuel element ejection, reactor transient and excursion tests, reactor end-of-life shutdown devices, fission product release studies, critical configuration tests, mechanical and thermochemical effects, and fuel element burnup and fission products dispersal. Major emphasis for the period was concentrated on the design of the SNAPTRAN 2/10A-1 and -2 machines and the models for the Reentry Flight Demonstration (RFD-1). Planning of the SNAPTRAN experimental program was undertaken. Analytical effort was concentrated on developing the several computer codes required for interpreting and understanding the data acquired or to be acquired from the experiments. The majority of the Phase I mechanical and thermochemical effects test program was completed. A few fission product releases were conducted at the NRTS. Necessary test apparatus for the water immersion critical experiment was designed and fabricated. (auth