SNAP AEROSPACE SAFETY PROGRAM. Quarterly Technical Progress Report, October-December 1962

Progress made during the period is reported including analyses of experiments and tests, and evaluation of effort. The subject material concerns reactor transient and excursion tests, fission product release studies, end-of- life shutdown devices, critical configuration studies, mechanical and thermochemical effects, reactor separation and fuel element ejection, and reentry burnup of fuel elements. The design of the SNAPTRAN 2/10A-1 and -2 machines was essentially completed and fabrication of major components was initiated. The fission product release tests at the NRTS were completed. Some progress was made on the explosive shutdown projectile design. A practical shipping sleeve design was demonstrated which will maintain the SNAP 2/10A assembly in a subcritical condition as a result of postulated shipping accidents. The Phase I ground test series were completed. The computer code, RESTORE, was shown to be excellent for the calculation of reentry trajectories. The calculation of fuel rod heating and ablation using a digital thermal analyzer program resulted in an improved and more elaborate analytical model. (auth