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RE: Nuclear-powered spacecraft plan feared

Okay, I finally found my quarterly report for planned launches of 

radioactive sources. STS 107 had 4 different isotopes on it.  I am hesitant 

to publish what they are (although anyone with some experience in space 

operations and research could probably guess them) and how much since I am 

sure that there are some members of this list who would attempt to bend the 

information to their own agenda.  It really irks me to have to treat 

information this way, but based upon knowing who lurks on this list I do 

not feel comfortable releasing it without a blessing from the agency.  If 

you want to pursue it, try contacting the NASA public affairs people and 

request the manifest.



I will say that the total quantity of activity on board the shuttle was 

very low.  In fact, when you look at it in terms of DOT, the total A2 

fraction for the inventory is 9.32 e-3.  That is if you treat the entire 

shuttle as the "package."



My guess is that the hype by the media is probably based upon a fact-based 

statement to the effect that the shuttle did indeed have some radioactive 

material on it, albeit a trivial amount.  The media, being ignorant, has no 

concept of what this actually means and since people were being told to not 

touch the parts, they jumped to conclusions.  As for why the search teams 

were using radiation detectors, I will have to let your imagination come up 

with that answer, although ignorance would be where I put my money.





Kim Merritt, RRPT

Radiation/Laser Safety Officer

HazMed, Inc.

NASA Langley Research Center

Hampton, VA

(757)864-3210

<mailto:k.merritt@larc.nasa.gov>



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