How Radiant is Building the World's First Commercial Microreactor
Abstract: How can we efficiently and effectively design, build, and certify new reactors while keeping people and the environment safe? In our push for clean, abundant energy, nuclear has an opportunity to lead the way while also building on lessons from other industries. In this talk I will outline Radiant’s plans to achieve first criticality for Kaleidos, our portable microreactor, within 5-6 years. I will discuss experiences from Radiant and SpaceX about practical engineering and building a team to work collaboratively between engineers, industry, and regulators, talk about the skills and tools we rely on, and share lessons that may help students make the most of their experience at Illinois.
Bio: Paul (UIUC B.S. AE 2010, M.S. NPRE 2013) has eight years of experience as a SpaceX engineer, now working on portable nuclear power at Radiant focusing on thermofluids and simulations. While at SpaceX, Paul spent five years at Vandenberg Air Force Base as a launch pad designer for Falcon 9/Heavy, was one of the lead Falcon 9 landing support equipment designers and launched six missions as a ground controller. He later led an effort to streamline engineering processes to accelerate development projects and spent his last year at SpaceX working with government certification for the reusable Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch vehicles. Paul, along with the other cofounders of Radiant, wanted to create a small, portable power source for Mars and saw a demand for the same capability for remote microgrids, disaster relief, and military bases. His focus is on enabling rapid development through setting a good culture and technical foundation allowing the team to perform at its best. In his free time he likes to code for fun and still plays videogames with friends from his time at Illinois.
