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National Security Cuts Into NASA's Plutonium

Posted by michael on from the get-out-the-oars dept.

cleveland61 writes "Space.com is reporting that an "undisclosed national security agency" is being assigned 7 Kg of NASA's 16 Kg supply of Pu 238. With a half life of 90 years Pu 238 is used mainly used in cases where batteries won't do here on earth. (Pacemakers, deep sea diving suits,etc.) It also provided the fuel for the Cassini Probe. My question is; Who is getting it and what are they using it for? Please tell me its Doc Brown looking for his 1.21 jigawatts!"

6 of 76 comments (clear)

  1. Just a guess by Wrexen · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that the "undisclosed national security agency" is, in fact, the National Security Agency

  2. I know why! by SecretFire · · Score: 2, Funny

    You see, all of the slightly-moderately paranoid types are already concerned about the government, but the "aliens are here" crowd haven't really been thrown a bone recently by government. Can you name a recent major occurance for this group? I tihnk we just have some sympathetic dude in the NSA who wants all the conspiracy shows to keep their ratings up.

  3. i know exactly why... by skydude_20 · · Score: 2, Funny

    but then I would have to kill you...
    So please just sign on the line below and we'll be set...

    x___________________

    --
    Jesus saves souls and redeems them for valuable cash prizes
  4. It's going to be planted evidence. by Jon+Howard · · Score: 3, Funny

    They took it so they could plant it on suspects (or plant the radiation on their gear, at least) to prove that they got the "real" terrorists.

    There's going to be a "dirty bomb" conspiracy that gets busted soon, maybe a few.

  5. Re:Same thing by chris_mahan · · Score: 3, Funny

    Oh great, so when an "unspecified" agency launches an "unspecified" payload from an "unspecified" rocket in the middle of an "unspecified" location, we might have an "unspecified" problem aboard the rocket and have"unspecified" consequences that will spew "unspecified" elements in the athmosphere and cause "unspecified" damages to an "unspecified" number of people in "unspecified" countries.

    Dang, talk about precision warfare.

    --

    "Piter, too, is dead."

  6. It's an asteroid bomb, duh by Sembiance · · Score: 2, Funny

    Let's see... a few days ago an asteroid was discovered that we 'are told' 'may' impact the earth.
    And now plutonium, 7 kilograms (EXACTLY enough to build a nuclear bomb) is being sent for use to an 'undisclosed agency' ?

    Duh, I think we all see what's going on here.

    Someone is trying to make chocolate ice cream taste better by using plutonium.