Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Infrared monitoring of nuclear power in space

1989; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 1; Issue: 1-2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/08929888908426326

1547-7800

David Hafemeister,

Planetary Science and Exploration

This paper assesses the level of confidence for monitoring a ban on nuclear power in earth orbit using unclassified information from astronomical observatories based on Maui, Hawaii, and from the Kuiper Airborne Observatory. It is concluded that existing military and astronomical observatories can detect and identify operating nuclear reactor sources, such as the Soviet RORSAT and US SP‐100, on satellites with a very high level of confidence out to distances beyond geosynchronous orbit. The smaller radioisotope thermal sources, RTG and DIPS, could be detected with a medium level of confidence under certain conditions.