Re: Saturn probe Pu power

[Andrew McEwan <Andrew@nrl.moh.govt.nz>]

I appreciate Chris Davey's dilemma.

This is not an area where I have close knowledge of the design criteria but
the nature of the concern is very parallel to that of transport of HLW.  My
$0.02.

The answer to Chris Davey's friend should follow the line that the type of
concerns that have been raised are taken into account in the design of the
radioactive material containment.  This means that if the launch were to
fail there is a very high probability that the source would descend intact
without any dispersal of finely divided Pu-238.  There is also the issue of
the later fly-by for acceleration to the outer planets.  Here again the
design incorporates redundancy so that the trajectory on approach to earth
can be controlled to avoid burn-up.

_________________________
Andrew C McEwan
National Radiation Laboratory
PO Box 25-099
Christchurch, New Zealand

Ph 64 3 366 5059
Fax 64 3 366 1156
acmcewan@nrl.moh.govt.nz
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