There is currently no public information suggesting that Israel is pursuing a nuclear space reactor. However, Israel does contain the necessary components to develop a HEU-fueled SNR in the future. Israel is therefore considered a Tier 3 state.

 

Israel’s space agency is one of 12 countries or intergovernmental agencies to have designed, built, and independently launched a satellite into orbit. [1] Even though the space agency’s budget is only a fraction of those of the leading space agencies around the world, Israel remains a formidable technology and space power. [2]

 

It is important to note that while Israel does not have enrichment capabilities, it does maintain a large stockpile of HEU. In 2017, Israel’s HEU was estimated at approximately 300 kg, all of which may be in weapons. [3] Israel is outside the NPT and lacks full-scope safeguards, so it cannot import HEU from members of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. [4] Due to its precarious situation in the Middle East, Israel employs a “strategic ambiguity” policy with regards to its alleged nuclear weapons arsenal. [5] What is known, however, is that Israel uses HEU fuel in its research reactor, “IRR-1,” supplied by the United States and operating since 1960. [6] This steady state reactor is used for isotope production, training, and activation analysis. [7]

 

While there have been reports in the past alleging that Israel had pursued both gas-centrifuge and laser enrichment technologies, the extent of these activities remains unknown. [8] Because of its finite amount of HEU, Israel might use LEU fuel if it did pursue a space reactor. Although there are no current publications by Israeli researchers on SNRs, that does not mean the Israeli government will not be interested in space reactors at some point in the future. Because of Israel’s advanced space program and its stockpile of HEU, Israel could decide to pursue a SNR with HEU fuel. With NASA using HEU to fuel its Kilopower, Israel may follow suit. However, if Israel is concerned about preserving its HEU for other uses, it might turn to LEU SNR designs.

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[1]  “Satellite,” Wikipedia, accessed November 8, 2019, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satellite

[2] Seth J. Frantzman, “Space: Israel’s final frontier,” The Jerusalem Post, February 21, 2019, “https://www.jpost.com/Magazine/Israels-final-frontier-567448.

[3] Arms Control and Proliferation Profile: Israel,” Arms Control Association, accessed November 9, 2019,  https://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/israelprofile.

[4] “Israel to phase out civilian atomic reactor by 2018,” Reuters, March 20, 2102, https://www.reuters.com/article/israel-nuclear/israel-to-phase-out-civilian-atomic-reactor-by-2018-idUSL6E8EK3AS20120320.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Reducing the Use of Highly Enriched Uranium in Civilian Research Reactors (Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2016), 31.

[7] Milo Shepherd, “Appendix E: Agreements for Cooperation With Foreign Countries,” Federation of American Scientists, https://fas.org/sgp/othergov/doe/heu/appe.pdf.

[8] “Negev Nuclear Research Center (NNRC),” Nuclear Threat Initiative, updated November 11, 2011, https://www.nti.org/learn/facilities/418/.