White House Go-Ahead On NASA Nuclear Prometheus Project

[Sava]

oh, I don't remember that... he's still an idiot!

[Faboba]

Originally posted by Sava
oh, I don't remember that... he's still an idiot!

I recommend the Dyslexicon by Mark Crispin Miller. It has a detailed examination of many of the more interesting Bush quotes and poses the theory that the media downplayed some of the more questionable areas of the candidates' platform simply by laughing at him for his oratory gaffs.

Anyone seen the video of Bush at a wedding?

[Seeker]

Umm anyone notice that NASA keeps saying the words 'RTG' and 'nuclear electric propulsion' while us space fanatics keep saying 'NTP (nuclear thermal propulsion a la the NERVA project)'?

I think a lot of space enthusiasts are going to be disappointed when they see something like Deep Space 1, and not VASIMR.

[Faboba]

Originally posted by Seeker
Umm anyone notice that NASA keeps saying the words 'RTG' and 'nuclear electric propulsion' while us space fanatics keep saying 'NTP (nuclear thermal propulsion a la the NERVA project)'?

I think a lot of space enthusiasts are going to be disappointed when they see something like Deep Space 1, and not VASIMR.

Too many acronyms!

Gravy for the brain!

[DanS]

I think NERVA was the project several decades ago on nuke space propulsion that was shut down (due to safety concerns?). RTG is basically a plutonium generator of 10 lbs or so with wattage of 100-300. Multi-mission RTGs being standardzed 100 W modules. Don't know the other acronyms.

[Seeker]

It was shut down for funding reasons, and is not even being considered in it's 60s form because it tested a 250 000 lbs of thrust nuclear engine by venting its radioactive exhaust directly into the Nevada skies.

In order to do it Green you'd either have to test it in orbit (with a real space station) or build a 4 billion dollar testing facility.

However, the concept of Nuclear Thermal Rockets is not dead because they are they only known way to generate a lot of thrust, quickly, for a miniumum of propellant.

The current NE designs like Deep Space one are 'ion drives' that have a very very low thust but very little propellant is needed to achive this thrust (ISP ratio).

The best design for the future is VASIMR, which is basically a nuclear fusion 'tokamak' with one side open so that the plasma can escape. By fiddling with the magnetic containment field, you could even throttle up and down, something you can't do very easily with a chemical rocket.

Search for VASIMR and NASA to learn more, I just hope NASA will use the Bush Admins nuclearphilia to build some real engines.

https://www.space.com

[Sava]

I've got a GKP in my LLFR... the NOFFO gave it to me.

[JohnT]

"The group has campaigned against the launch of Galileo and Cassini missions in past years. A "No Nukes in Space Protest Vigil" is slated in early February, outside a symposium on nuclear space power to be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico."



So, what the fvck are these idiots going to do about the Sun? Blow it up to remove its harmful, nuclear presence?

[Sava]

A smart person would try to tell them the difference between nuclear weapons and nuclear power-plants, instead of insult them and make stupid comments.

[JohnT]

Plenty of smart people have already tried.

Nice non-use of the insults, btw.

Fvckwad.

[Sava]

someone must have a guilty conscience.

[Az]

Sava, I don't think that if John would tell them that they'll go all "wow, we didn't know that". I think they know the difference very well. They still have objections.

[Sava]

How do you know, do you know any of these protest people?

[JohnT]

Originally posted by Sava
someone must have a guilty conscience.

[Seeker]

Insulting them is more fun....

Thought process of a 'Space Green':

After all, we must protect the ecosytem of Outer Space from all that Harmful Man-Made Radiation...

And the crash of an RTG could kill....well, the person it landed on...but it could raise the risk of fatal cancer by.....an isignificant amount...but OMG they are using LETHAL ISOTOPES like Tritium....err, tritium rains down on us naturally from the upper atmosphere anyway in large amounts....

Oh, but it disturbs Mother Gaia and makes those ****ing scientists think they're GODS!!.....ermmm OK, whatever