RE: [MbrExchange] "Russia to provide US space program with nuclear fuel: official" [FW]

["Ted Rockwell" <tedrock@CPCUG.ORG>]

I think what they're saying is that if you have a nuclear rocket, that means you're serious about long trips, and that means you need a serious power supply for the hotel load of the vehicle--i.e. a nuclear thermoelectric generator run on Pu-238.

 

TR

 

-----Original Message-----
From: mbrexchange-admin@list.ans.org [mailto:mbrexchange-admin@list.ans.org]On Behalf Of AtomicRod@aol.com
Sent: Monday, March 03, 2003 3:09 AM
To: frantaj@aecl.ca; radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu; mbrexchange@list.ans.org
Cc: WIMUNN@aol.com
Subject: Re: [MbrExchange] "Russia to provide US space program with nuclear fuel: official" [FW]

In a message dated 3/1/03 3:28:03 PM, frantaj@aecl.ca 

writes:



> Russia 
>
>   is set to provide the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 
>
>   with plutonium-238 for five years, according to a 
>
>   32-million-dollarmillion-euro) contract signed by the Russian and US energy 
>
>   departments, the official said.
> "NASA needs this type of nuclear fuel after 
>
>   President (George W.) Bush's announcement that it had launched a program to 
>
>   develop a nuclear engine for rockets," the official said, quoted by ITAR-TASS 
>
>   news agency.


Anyone know how you use a non-fissile isotope to 

power a nuclear rocket?

Rod Adams