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NASA Running Out of Plutonium
PRB_Ohio takes us to Space.com for a story about NASA's plutonium shortage, and how it may affect future missions to the far reaches of the solar system. The U.S. hasn't produced plutonium since 1988, instead preferring to purchase it from Russia. We discussed the U.S. government's plans to resume production in 2005, but those plans ended up being shelved. If NASA is unable to find an additional source, it could limit missions that take spacecraft too far from the Sun. Quoting:
"Alan Stern, NASA associate administrator for science, ... said he believed the United States had sufficient plutonium-238 on hand or on order to fuel next year's Mars Science Lab, an outer planets flagship mission targeted for 2017 and a Discovery-class mission slated to fly a couple years earlier to test a more efficient radioisotope power system NASA and the Energy Department have in development. To help ensure there is enough plutonium-238 for those missions, NASA notified scientists in January that its next New Frontiers solicitation, due out in June, will seek only missions that do not require a nuclear power source."
dilithium crystals
Ooops. That's Illudium Q-36 - Not Plutonium - for the Explosive Space Modulator.
It still obstructs my view of Venus!
"Flyin' in just a sweet place,
Never been known to fail..."
Pluto isn't a planet anymore, it shouldn't have an element named after it.
Airplane Photos, Airline News, Planespotting Guides
Maybe they can arrange to purchase some from Iran. Everybody wins!
More music, fewer hits
Simple solution. They can go back in time and steal plutonium from themselves.
Write your own Choose Your Own Adventure. http://www.freegameengines.org/gamebook-engine/
"I'm sure in 1985 plutonium is available at every corner drugstore, but in 1955 it's a little hard to come by!"
"Flag on the moon. How did it get there?"
Give them a little credit, buying it from Russia was plan B. Our first source of plutonium was from Libyan nationalists. See, they would ask us to build them a bomb, we would take the plutonium, and then give them a shiny bomb casing full of used pinball machine parts. Unfortunately, the Libyans eventually found out and tried to kill us with RPGs. I swear, if Reagan hadn't managed to get up to 88 mph before he hit that photo kiosk, I don't know what we would have done.
They were planning to send it all to America for free at one point.
Nullius in verba
1. Find a group of Libyan nationalists that want you to build a bomb.
2. Take their plutonium.
3. Give them a shiny bomb-casing full of used pinball machine parts.
Just make sure you keep the DeLorean's engine running for step 3.
Your courageous and selfless spelling corrections have made me a better person.
Libyans.
Time to convert all their deLoreans... um... space shuttles, to use Mr. Fusion - http://news.uns.purdue.edu/x/2007a/070201LadischBio.html
Think they ship that stuff DHL?
First we're running out of helium and now we're running out of plutonium.
Our manufacturing jobs are overseas and we're in debt. OK, so we're good there, we're not running out of debt.
if you steal from one source, that is plagiarism, if you steal from many, well, that's just research.
Depends on where and how fast you want it.
I Am My Own Worst Enemy
In Soviet Russia, plutonium enriches YOU!
Ronald Reagan?! The ACTOR!?
Former US House candidate, TN-5
Lets put it all together shall we?
Plutonium production ceases.
Construction of "lighting-diverting" system.
Construction of "escape" roller coaster.
Whats next? Steam powered rocket locomotives that fly in the sky?