RE: Nuclear-powered spacecraft plan feared

[BAILHA@inel.gov]

Just a thought, but perhaps the RAM designation is to reflect potential

hazards for parts and pieces of the debris being irradiated by high energy

cosmic radiation.  NOT A STATEMENT OF FACT just a thought









                                                                                                                                            

                      "Frey, Steven R."                                                                                                     

                      <sfreyohp@SLAC.STANFOR        To:       "'Flood, John'" <FloodJR@NV.DOE.GOV>, RADSAFE <radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu>   

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                      owner-radsafe@list.van        Subject:  RE: Nuclear-powered spacecraft plan feared                                    

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                      02/06/2003 10:27 AM                                                                                                   

                      Please respond to                                                                                                     

                      "Frey, Steven R."                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                            

                                                                                                                                            









If NASA decided to call Columbia wreckage RAM to protect its quality as

forensic evidence knowing that it is not RAM, then that is a most

inappropriate decision and application of the spirit of radioactive

material safety regulations. Worse, the inordinate fear that much of the

public has about radioactivity can only be made worse. Not one to

second-guess NASA because of their being under duress from the accident,

but NASA and the new Homeland Security Department ought to set the record

straight with the public about Columbia 'RAM" immediately.



 -----Original Message-----

From: Flood, John [mailto:FloodJR@NV.DOE.GOV]

Sent: Thursday, February 06, 2003 6:56 AM

To: RADSAFE

Subject: RE: Nuclear-powered spacecraft plan feared



I think it likely that the warnings took rad and non-rad hazards into

consideration, but may well have been mainly intended to keep people away

so the materials wouldn't be disturbed or stolen, thereby disrupting the

investigation.



      -----Original Message-----

      From: High Plains Drifter [mailto:magna1@jps.net]

      Sent: Wednesday, February 05, 2003 9:57 PM

      To: Rad Safety Institute; Susan L Gawarecki; RADSAFE

      Subject: Re: Nuclear-powered spacecraft plan feared



      Nuclear Powered Space craft feared......did anyone notice that the

      warning on shuttle debris and that the military folks were monitoring

      objects for radioactivity and that the truck and trailer taking items

      to the air base was placarded with RAM signs!  The warning about

      toxics, which were volatiles, appears to be misleading and that the

      real hazard was radioactivity.  Can anyone shed some light on just

      what was aboard the shuttle that could possibly cause 1000's of

      fragments to be contaminated to such a degree!



      Dean Chaney, CHP

       ----- Original Message -----

       From: Rad Safety Institute

       To: Susan L Gawarecki ; RADSAFE

       Sent: Tuesday, February 04, 2003 6:29 PM

       Subject: Re: Nuclear-powered spacecraft plan feared



       This is a littlle whimsical, but does anyone remember Project Orion?

       Also, bet the people wringing their hands over possible accidents do

       not realize how many nuclear weapons were crashed in the "good ol'

       days".                                                Ed Battle

       ----- Original Message -----

       From: "Susan L Gawarecki" <loc@icx.net>

       To: "RADSAFE" <radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu>

       Sent: Tuesday, February 04, 2003 4:22 PM

       Subject: Nuclear-powered spacecraft plan feared



       > I am weary of anti-nuclear activists seizing on every accident as

       an

       > opportunity to say "imagine how much worse this would have been if

       a

       > nuclear [reactor, waste, material] had been involved."  In the

       meantime,

       > out of irrational fears, we are losing the significant

       environmental and

       > efficiency benefits of applied applications of nuclear power.

       >

       > My own personal opinion.

       >

       > Susan Gawarecki