New Propulsion system for space; food irradiation being accepted

["JOHN JACOBUS" <JENDAY1@email.msn.com>]

I saw these two items and thought it would be of interest.
-- John

John Jacobus, MS, CHP
Medical Health Physicist
3050 Traymore Lane
Bowie, MD 20715-2024
jenday1@email.msn.com (H)


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "ArcaMax" <ezines@arcamax.com>
To: <jenday1@email.msn.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 03, 2001 10:33 AM
Subject: ArcaMax Science News for January 03, 2001


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   SPACECRAFT TO MARS IN TWO WEEKS? 
   An unusual nuclear fuel has the potential to power space vehicles
frrom Earth to Mars in as little as two weeks, according to scientists
at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. The chemical propulsion now used
takes about eight to 10 months to make the trip. In a report in this
month's issue of Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A,
the researchers show that the rare nuclear material americium-242m can
maintain sustained nuclear fission as an extremely thin metallic film,
less than a thousandth of a millimeter thick. It then releases very
high-energy fission products that can escape the fuel elements and
drive propulsion in space. The more commonly used elements uranium-235
and plutonium-239 don't work because they require large fuel rods,
which absorb fission products. "There are still many hurdles to
overcome before americium-242m can be used in space," said Yigal Ronen,
of BGU's Department of Nuclear Engineering. "There is the problem of
producing the fuel in large enough quantities from plutonium-241 and
americium-241, which requires several steps and is expensive. But the
material is already available in fairly small amounts.... However, I am
sure that americium-242m will eventually be implemented for space
travel, as it is the only proven material whose fission products can be
made available for high speed propulsion."
. . . . 

   CONSUMERS ACCEPTING FOOD IRRADIATION 
   Retailers report consumers are increasingly accepting irradiated
beef, especially in light of recent E.coli bacteria outbreaks,
according to a UPI report. The process, also known as electronic
pasteurization, kills 99 percent of harmful pathogens but does not
affect meat quality or taste. Food is exposed to high levels of radiant
energy to reduce or eliminate potentially dangerous micro-organisms on
meat and poultry. The process was approved by the Food and Drug
Administration in 1997 and by the U.S. Agriculture Department in 1999.
Huisken Meats of Chandler, Minn., the first company to offer irradiated
hamburger patties, said production is much higher than initial
projections. "We were in a pretty well sold-out situation this past
summer," Huisken sales manager Cliff Albertson said, even though the
process can add as much as 50 cents to the price of a two-pound
package. "Those who speak out against this process should be held
accountable by the media, government officials and the medical
community," said former Minnesota state epidemiologist Michael
Osterholm. He told Tuesday's St. Paul Pioneer Press that it is
irresponsible for fringe groups to spread misinformation about
irradiated foods. "Not a single credible science organization in the
world that has look at this has not endorsed it. That gives you an idea
of what we're talking about." Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman said
irradiation is no "silver bullet" for food safety but it is a necessary
tool for producing "even safer food."

-- 
Copyright 2000 by United Press International. 
All rights reserved. 
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