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NASA Developing Nuclear Reactor For Moon and Mars

Al writes "NASA recently finished testing a miniature nuclear reactor that would provide power for an astronaut base on the Moon or Mars. The reactor combines a small fission system with a Stirling engine to make a 'safe, reliable, and efficient' way to produce electricity. The system being tested at NASA's Glenn Research Center can produce 2.3 kilowatts and could be ready for launch by 2020, NASA officials say. The reactor ought to provide much more power than solar panels but could prove controversial with the public concerned about launching a nuclear power source and placing it on the Moon or another planet."

14 of 424 comments (clear)

  1. The public doesn't want it on the Moon huh? by Killer+Orca · · Score: 4, Funny

    Then they can give the reactor to me and I can finally send the power company a photocopy of my ass; I don't even have to worry about disposal! I hear there are plenty of countries like Iran and North Korea looking for nuclear refuse.

    1. Re:The public doesn't want it on the Moon huh? by DoofusOfDeath · · Score: 5, Funny

      Then they can give the reactor to me and I can finally send the power company a photocopy of my ass

      What, your photocopier only works with on-site nuclear power?

    2. Re:The public doesn't want it on the Moon huh? by Ogive17 · · Score: 4, Funny

      What, your photocopier only works with on-site nuclear power?

      Must be a very large ass if he needs a nuclear powered photocopier.

      --
      "Action without philosophy is a lethal weapon; philosophy without action is worthless."
  2. Re:mmhmmm by swanzilla · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yeah, until the fuel runs out. I'm pretty sure that with solar panels, the sun never runs out.

    I'm 100% sure you are wrong.

  3. Re:mmhmmm by SBrach · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yeah we can't have dangerous, dangerous radiation in space. Think of the children.

  4. Re:Nuclear Power on the Moon FTW! by h4rr4r · · Score: 5, Funny

    The problem would be what exactly?
    The impact to the wildlife on the moon?

  5. Re:Nuclear Power on the Moon FTW! by sycodon · · Score: 5, Funny

    Never, ever, place you power source outside the buildings.

    The aliens will simply cut the line, leaving you only 120 minutes (less Coming Attraction Previews) to figure out what's going on and go fix it.

    Then, of course, the first few people you send after it will be killed and turned into alien zombies.

    Then, when you finally figure that out, you have to crawl through the air ducts to get to the reactor (even though the reactor is supposedly isolated from the buildings) to sneak into the Alien queen's chamber and burn her to a crisp with the flame thrower that is standard issue on a moon colony.

    Sheesh...don't you guys know anything?

    --
    When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
  6. Re:Nuclear Power on the Moon FTW! by infinite9 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Lol, sounds like another opportunity! Head out to the next anti-nuclear rally and get people to sign a petition to shut down this unshielded fusion reactor. It's exposing us to several types of radiation every day, even as we speak! It causes severe burns on many people every day! Many species won't come out of their burrows because of it! While you're at it, you can ask them about their opinion of dihydrogen-monoxide.

    --
    Disconnect your television. Do your own research. Draw your own conclusions. They're probably lying. Don't be a sheep.
  7. Re:Nuclear Power on the Moon FTW! by SBrach · · Score: 4, Funny

    No, we all know Albert Einstein invented the atom. Just like Newton invented gravity.

  8. Re:mmhmmm by fracai · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...unless you're ok with only breathing during the day...

    I don't know about you, but I SLEEP during the night. Sheesh, this isn't rocket surgery.

    --
    -- i am jack's amusing sig file
  9. Re:mmhmmm by jafiwam · · Score: 5, Funny

    metric ass-load = about .85 of a fuck-ton.

  10. Re:mmhmmm by KDR_11k · · Score: 3, Funny

    Could get difficult, politicians are extremely dense.

    --
    Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
  11. Re:Why not expoit temperature by Shakrai · · Score: 3, Funny

    NASA is years away from building, lofting and installing anything that requires miles of tubing.

    That's not true. They've got a website don't they?

    --
    I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
    We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
  12. ALL CAPS IS NEVER THE ANSWER! by Foobar+of+Borg · · Score: 4, Funny

    Capital letters were an invention of Satan after he was thrown off the Anunaki space ship. He gave the first capital letter he invented, the letter L, to the Australian Aborigines who used it to hunt animals and wage war with each other. It is no coincidence that Viking battle axes are in the shape of the letter T and the Nazi Swastika uses 4 L's. I realized this while watching Sesame Street and having a nice glass of distilled water and pure grain alcohol. All those capital letters are shown by - wait for it - Monsters! It's all so very clear to me now! We must now take our capital letter to the moon so we can make an end of them and the moon-dwelling Nazis for all time!