NASA Running Low On Fuel For Space Exploration

smooth wombat writes "With the end of the Cold War came warmer relations with old adversaries, increased trade and a world less worried about nuclear war. It also brought with it an unexpected downside: lack of nuclear fuel to power deep space probes. Without this fuel, probes beyond Jupiter won't work because there isn't enough sunlight to use solar panels, which probes closer to the sun use. The fuel NASA relies on to power deep space probes is plutonium-238. This isotope is the result of nuclear weaponry, and since the United States has not made a nuclear device in 20 years, the supply has run out. For now, NASA is using Soviet supplies, but they too are almost exhausted. It is estimated it will cost at least $150 million to resume making the 11 pounds per year that is needed for space probes."

Comments

This wouldn't be a problem if...

[JoshuaZ]

We allowed breeder reactors or nuclear reprocessing at civilian reactors.

Re:This wouldn't be a problem if...

[JoshuaZ]

Most civilian reactors aren't breeder reactors because of the danger of nuclear proliferation. They still produce tiny amounts of plutonium 238, but not in large quantities. Similarly, there isn't much in the way of nuclear reprocessing. The countries which are the exceptions have generally been countries that want to have lots of nukes. The French don't have that much that would help out. At this point, India or China might though.