Recent ²³⁸Pu Production Activities at Idaho National Laboratory

The Plutonium-238 (238Pu) Production program at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is actively qualifying irradiation targets containing 237Np for the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) to produce 238Pu for future National Aeronautics and Space Administration missions. INL qualified and loaded seven targets in the ATR’s south flux trap for cycle 169A, which occurred in Spring 2021. The irradiation qualification program has expanded to additional ATR irradiation positions after two baseline production targets in three positions validated significant production of 238Pu. The validation model was followed by the PFS-1 experimental test in the ATR Critical Facility that verified 238Pu production cross sections. This paper outlines the progress and status of the 238Pu production program at INL. The qualification effort, safety analysis, hardware status, and future activities for qualification of an updated target design for use in the ATR are discussed.