In Chapter–1 of this timely book, radiation damage in vanadium, niobium, molybdenum and tungsten is discussed at the atomic level; treating – for instance - third-stage recovery in terms of self-interstitials being mobile traps for - predominantly - vacancies. Higher recovery stages are treated by using various techniques, such as: electrical resistivity, electron microscopy, positron annihilation spectroscopy and computer simulation - thus revealing vacancy-cluster break-up in stage-V and interstitial cluster annealing in stage-VI.

The results of a materials technology program for a long-life (50,000 hr), high-temperature (950 C coolant outlet), lithium-cooled, nuclear space power reactor concept are reviewed and discussed.