US technology push should include Nuclear power

[DarkenedOne]

Practically every time NASA got serious about going to Mars, going back to the moon, or deep space mission they have always started to develop nuclear power for space.

The benefits of nuclear power are obvious. It is able to provide a huge amount of power, continually, and reliably. They work in places were solar power is either very weak of not an option.

Unfortunately every time a nuclear power initiative is set it is never completed as the mission it was being designed for gets cancelled. Ultimately we need nuclear power for future missions. We need to develop it as a general capability so that we can then use it to build bases and travel in deep space.

 

[Valcan]

Practically every time NASA got serious about going to Mars, going back to the moon, or deep space mission they have always started to develop nuclear power for space.

The benefits of nuclear power are obvious. It is able to provide a huge amount of power, continually, and reliably. They work in places were solar power is either very weak of not an option.

Unfortunately every time a nuclear power initiative is set it is never completed as the mission it was being designed for gets cancelled. Ultimately we need nuclear power for future missions. We need to develop it as a general capability so that we can then use it to build bases and travel in deep space.

Completely agree with you. Like Vasimr and others this is a technology that could benefit man in all our efforts in space to not invest and refine it is the hight of arrogance and short sightedness.

 

[neilsox]

Unfortunately we live in a society, where many of the brightest and most powerful think it is OK to lie for a good cause. That makes the safety of nuclear doubtful, even with very costly oversight and monitoring. Perhaps, most of the projects were cancelled when it became reasonably clear that the technology was based on lies = would not work as advertised and/or put many people at at least slight risk. Neil

 

[Valcan]

Unfortunately we live in a society, where many of the brightest and most powerful think it is OK to lie for a good cause. That makes the safety of nuclear doubtful, even with very costly oversight and monitoring. Perhaps, most of the projects were cancelled when it became reasonably clear that the technology was based on lies = would not work as advertised and/or put many people at at least slight risk. Neil

? You do know that the french as well as several other have been operating nuclear reactors for years without apocolypse style melt downs we have prophecised by the anti nuke crowd.

Theres also the fact that after 3 mile island people made a big deal of the milk with doses of radiation in them. HORROR!!!!!! O f course no one mentioned the fact that the average banana has the same amount????
Or that a coal plant creates huge amounts of radiation as does burning wood.

The biggest problem for the nuke industry is ignorance and fearmongery.

 

[James_Bull]

Unfortunately we live in a society, where many of the brightest and most powerful think it is OK to lie for a good cause. That makes the safety of nuclear doubtful, even with very costly oversight and monitoring. Perhaps, most of the projects were cancelled when it became reasonably clear that the technology was based on lies = would not work as advertised and/or put many people at at least slight risk. Neil

Thats utter tripe. There really is no safety issue. General and publin opinion is unfortunately twarted by fabricated lies and misfacts when it comes to anything with the word "nuclear" in it! Your idea of a deceitful society however, is a novell approach. You should start up your own anti-nuclear campaign, you have a soldid grounding with that one.

But yes, without a doubt we should be pushing it. No matter what happens I am hoping NASA's budget will include significant funding into R&D for space capable nuclear reactors. Its definately in their sights anyway. I was really disappointed to see the the JIMO spacecraft cancelled. That would have developed the technology. Instead, billions were pumped into apollo2...

 

[BrianBoru]

Unfortunately we live in a society, where many of the brightest and most powerful think it is OK to lie for a good cause. That makes the safety of nuclear doubtful, even with very costly oversight and monitoring. Perhaps, most of the projects were cancelled when it became reasonably clear that the technology was based on lies = would not work as advertised and/or put many people at at least slight risk. Neil

Well said.

 

[csmyth3025]

For what it's worth, an article on the development of a fission reactor power source for lunar or Mars base operation can be found here:

http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/23247/page1/

Chris

 

[ZiraldoAerospace]

People freak out nowadays whenever someone says "nuclear" (or nucular for that matter), but does anyone remember that we used to test tons of the things back in the 50s and 60s? I mean yeah, it was bad, but one nuke or something like that is not really a big deal in my opinion...

 

[PiotrSatan]

People freak out nowadays whenever someone says "nuclear" (or nucular for that matter), but does anyone remember that we used to test tons of the things back in the 50s and 60s? I mean yeah, it was bad, but one nuke or something like that is not really a big deal in my opinion...

Welcome to planet Earth. Probably one of the dumbest place of the universe, where human is scared of everything that is promoted badly without further research.

Nuclear technology is crucial at times like this, when oil and coal are at stake of running out this century, but we will probably realize it at very close to the end(2060s or MAYBE 2050). Nuclear power is not only needed for space exploration, it is mostly needed as the power supply back here, on Earth.
Well, I never thought I'd say this, but yes, even USA has better chances of expanding nuclear technology than EU at the current moment, when we want to stop operating nuclear reactors or even ban them. People need really to get informed at schools, newspapers (they do that here now, sadly it works for anti-nuclear people aswell and guess who is winning), TV and internet!
Eh, let's all hope that once humans will realize what nuclear power brings to us.

 

[csmyth3025]

Along the same lines as my previous post, Hyperion is trying to market a self-contained nuclear power source that they claim will provide 25 MW (of electricity) for 8 to 10 years. Their description can be found here:

http://www.hyperionpowergeneration.com./product.html

They say the unit is "less than 50 tons" and measures 1.5 meters wide by 2.5 meters tall.

Chris