New Production of Plutonium 238

Saeed al-Sahaf writes "According to the New York Times (login req, but you can google for it as well), the Bush administration is planning the government's first production of plutonium 238 since the cold war. Federal officials say the program would produce a total of 330 pounds over 30 years at the Idaho National Laboratory. Officials denied that any of the classified missions would involve nuclear arms, satellites or weapons in space, but rather would power 'secret espionage devices.' Plutonium 238 has no central role in nuclear arms. Instead, it is valued for its steady heat, which can be turned into electricity. Nuclear batteries made of it are best known for powering spacecraft that go where sunlight is too dim to energize solar cells. For instance, they now power the Cassini probe exploring Saturn and its moons."

Comments

secret missions

[lowrydr310]

Project managers say that most if not all of the new plutonium is intended for secret missions and they declined to divulge any details.

Secret Missions? Come on, we all know that plutonium is the perfect fuel to produce the 1.21 Jigawatts that our flux capacitors need.

DIY is too expensive

[GlobalEcho]

program would produce a total of 330 pounds over 30 years at the Idaho National Laboratory

If we're running low, why not just buy some more from North Korea?

Re:DIY is too expensive

[centauri]

If we're running low, why not just buy some more from North Korea?

Do they deliver?

Re:DIY is too expensive

[a whoabot]

Yeah...paper, or ICBM?

Re:How much is that?

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah, and if you put all 330 pounds into the 7.5 liters volume, how much of explosive yield would you get?

Hmm...

[Evro]

What, no Mr. Fusion?

Re:Pollute Canada

[Geoffreyerffoeg]

Speaking of Grand Teton...do you know how the name translates into English?