Reactor cores are specialised containment vessels designed to facilitate controlled fission, and are usually reinforced with strong, heat-resistant materials to contain the associated high pressures and temperatures.
Nuclear propulsion systems utilise the energy created by reactor cores to heat and accelerate propellant, which also acts as a coolant during periods of high thermal load. Radiator panels mounted to the outer hull of a spacecraft help to cool the core when it's not being used, or when it's too hot.
If a reactor becomes too hot, the ship's computer will attempt to bleed off heat by venting it through the RCS thrusters. At higher temperatures, thrusters are more powerful, turbines and magnetoplasmadynamic electrical generators produce more power, and more thermal energy is immediately available for manoeuvring, but thrusters will wear out faster and turbines may experience galling, reducing their long-term effectiveness.
If a reactor reaches its failure temperature and continues to heat up, the core will lose structural integrity and experience an explosive meltdown, destroying the ship it's attached to and releasing radioactive materials into the environment. Some eagle-eyed pilots you encounter are able to detect the residues these materials leave on nearby ringroids, which is often indicative of pirate activity.
| Name | Manufacturer | Operating Temperature | Failure Point | Thermal Power | Mass | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4x SO6 fuel rod | Rusatom-Antonoff | 3,500 K | 4,500 K | 4 GW | 2,000 kg | 80,000 E$ |
| 8x SO6 fuel rod | Rusatom-Antonoff | 3,500 K | 4,500 K | 8 GW | 4,000 kg | 160,000 E$ |
| 12x SO6 fuel rod | Rusatom-Antonoff | 3,500 K | 4,500 K | 12 GW | 6,000 kg | 240,000 E$ |
| 16x SO6 fuel rod | Rusatom-Antonoff | 3,500 K | 4,500 K | 16 GW | 8,000 kg | 320,000 E$ |
| 20x SO6 fuel rod | Rusatom-Antonoff | 3,500 K | 4,500 K | 20 GW | 10,000 kg | 400,000 E$ |
| Nakamura Dynamics Yama-SSR12 | Nakamura Dynamics | 3,000 K | 4,500 K | 30 GW | 5,000 kg | 750,000 E$ |
| Nakamura Dynamics Yama-SSR16 | Nakamura Dynamics | 3,000 K | 4,500 K | 40 GW | 5,500 kg | 1,000,000 E$ |
| Nakamura Dynamics Yama-SSR16S | Nakamura Dynamics | 3,000 K | 4,500 K | 50 GW | 6,000 kg | 1,500,000 E$ |