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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."
Or if that wont work it looks like there is a decent chance we'll be able to buy some from the Taliban soon.
It's hard to believe that's how Micronians are made. Why don't we see it right now by having you both kiss one another?
In news unrelated to their shortage of plutonium, NASA is also looking for a buyer for a shiny bomb casing full of used pinball machine parts...
Michael Coyne
http://turthalion.blogspot.com
Given that nuclear reprocessing plants, such as Sellafield, supplied a lot of weapons material for the British nuclear program, I'd be astonished if these could not extract all of the plutonium needed from those fuel rods that have been recycled this way.
It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
We allowed breeder reactors or nuclear reprocessing at civilian reactors.
Can't wind farms and solar energy suffice?
No. Wind farms work on the relative velocity between the ground and the atmosphere, but in space, there's no ground and almost no atmosphere. And the summary states: "there isn't enough sunlight to use solar panels".
I know Sr-90 is often also used in similar devices (mainly Russian ones), any reason why we can't switch to that?
Necessity is the mother of all invention. Lets take this opportunity to find a new method of powering probes for such long distance missions.
problem is they will most likely want to deliver it themselves.
i thought once I was found, but it was only a dream.
You're right. About the first part.
It's hard to believe that's how Micronians are made. Why don't we see it right now by having you both kiss one another?
No, remember, Uranus is where the sun doesn't shine.
Canada: The US's more awesome sibling.
War! Huh! What is it good for?
Space exploration, apparently.
Uhh.. No your wrong.
Really RTGs are actually simple, cheap, and effective. Solar will not work well past the orbit of Mars, Reactors are more expensive, complex, and weigh more.
So sparky you tell me what can produce power for years without much light, heat, or air, and has a mass of less then 60 kgs?
Oh and "I am sure they can think of something" is not an answer.
See my blog http://ilovecookes.blogspot.com/ for light hearted technical information.
To all the smart alecks, no they can't use weapons grade plutonium, which is 239, they need 238, which has a much shorter half-life (88 y compared to 24100 y) and therefore gives off much more energy. They don't need an isoptope that is fissile, they need one with a short half-life.
That's what your body thetans want you to think.
It's hard to believe that's how Micronians are made. Why don't we see it right now by having you both kiss one another?
Comment removed based on user account deletion
"Just decommission a few nuclear warheads each year."
Except that nuclear warheads use Plutonium-239, and the power plants NASA uses are based on Plutonium-238.
And converting Pu-239 into Pu-238 is much more difficult than converting rad-waste into Pu-238.
www.eFax.com are spammers
"I'm sure that in 1985 plutonium is available in every corner drug store, but in 1955 it's a little hard to come by."
This about Pu-238 for use in thermoelectric generators. Pu-239 does not produce enough heat.
Warning: this article may contain humor, sarcasm, parody, and perhaps even irony. Read at your own risk.
The 'Propaganda' you refer to is generally about far-away places and events, and therefor any contrast with reality would not be apparent.
No. American propaganda is alive and well but it has different goals. Korea is about obeying and serving your god-like leader. American is about consuming and consuming and is so successful that it's very difficult to get people to even see it.
One good method is to go backpacking for a month. You'd be amazed at how obvious and vulgar it all is when you return to 'civilization'.
"Nobody knows the age of the human race, but everybody agrees that it is old enough to know better." - Unknown