The reactor research and test facility

The paper describes an overview of the history of development and the current state of JSC SSC RF-IPPE reactor research and test facility designed for assembly, research and full-scale life energy tests of space nuclear power plants with a thermionic reactor. The leading specialists involved in development and operation of this facility are represented. The most significant technological interfaces and upgrade operations carried out in the recent years are discussed. The authors consider the use of an oil-free pumping system as part of this facility during degassing and life testing. Proposed are up-to-date engineering solutions for development of the automated special measurement system designed to record nuclear power plants performance, including volt-ampere characteristics together with thermophysical and nuclear physical parameters of a ground prototype of the space nuclear power plant.