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Thread ID: 7357 | Posts: 5 | Started: 2003-06-14
2003-06-14 23:43 | User Profile
Bush launches nuke space technology
From L K Sharma DH News Service WASHINGTON, June 14
President George Bush has launched the US space agency, NASA, on the nuclear course.
The pursuit of the controversial nuclear space propulsion technology has been revived and a design study contract has been awarded under the appropriately named Project Prometheus.
The approval of this project reflects the realisation that nuclear propulsion is essential for the manned and unmanned exploration of space. Decaying radioactive source could keep providing energy even for missions beyond the orbit of Mars where sunlight is too weak.
The Bush initiative will be applauded by those who want to be liberated from the constraints of chemical and solar power on space exploration. Enough justification can be found for the use of nuclear propulsion. Of course, had India taken such an initiative, the reactions would been quite different.
NASAââ¬â¢s Nuclear Systems Initiative is designed to develop technology and conduct advanced studies for space nuclear power and electric propulsion. The idea belongs to the 50s but because of the Cold War and reasons such as the nuclear test ban treaty, huge financial costs and safety related fears, the US did not make major advances.
Some probes using nuclear propulsion received adverse publicity because of speculation about a nuclear fall-out from an accident in space. There was major opposition to the launching of NASAââ¬â¢s Cassini probe to Saturn in 1997 because of its use of plutonium to generate electricity for its onboard instruments.
Radioisotope generators have been used on a number of deep Solar System spacecraft.
In giving the project a go-ahead, President Bush has shown the same adventurous spirit that marked the revival of the Star Wars missiles defence project.
Lockheed Martin has been given a six-million-dollar contract for a design study of the proposed Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO). The nuclear-powered mission will allow a space craft to reach the Jupiter system with a heavy load of scientific equipment.
It will have enough power to visit each of Jupiterââ¬â¢s moons in turn for a sustained study.
Planetary scientists want to have a spacecraft orbiting Europa, the ice-crusted moon of Jupiter which is suspected to have some primitive forms of life.
Europa and two other moons of Jupiter hold great fascination for space scientists. They want to know whether the moons do indeed have sub-surface oceans. They want to locate organic compounds and other chemicals of biological interest.
These icy moons appear to have three ingredients considered essential for life: water, energy, and chemical elements. The scientists want to know the thickness of ice layers in order to look for potential landing sites.
If Indian scientists want any observation package to be included, they can start preparing for the competition. The JIMO mission is expected to be launched after 2011, using an expendable vehicle.
After reaching the Earth orbit, the ion-propulsion thrusters would spiral the spacecraft away from Earth and then on its trip to Jupiter.
After entering orbit around Jupiter, the spacecraft would then orbit Callisto, then Ganymede, and finally Europa.
In the coming years, popular interest in space exploration and settlement is bound to grow if this planet is progressively seen as less and less inhabitable!
[url=http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/jun15/i8.asp]http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/jun15/i8.asp[/url]
2003-06-15 02:24 | User Profile
Bush launches nuke space technology
Nuke space technology?!? This clown can't even handle a [url=http://www.segway.com/]Segway[/url]
[img]http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20030612/i/1055454096.3154296905.jpg[/img]
:lol: :lol: :lol:
2003-06-15 03:23 | User Profile
Prodigal Son,
This article is pretty silly. There is nothing new about this, it is the same technology NASA has for many years. Decaying radioactive sources have been used for power on space probe for over 30 years.
2003-06-15 03:35 | User Profile
Originally posted by Faust@Jun 14 2003, 20:23 * This article is pretty silly.*
This is an article from India (where is churbanowitz when you need the dumb urine-guzzler) :blink:
2003-06-15 06:53 | User Profile
*Originally posted by Faust@Jun 15 2003, 03:23 * ** Decaying radioactive sources have been used for power on space probe for over 30 years. **
Right, just ask the Canucks. A soviet satellite with a nuke battery plopped right on them during the final lap of the Cold War, and Ottawa was codswalloped. Canada had been trying to be so nice to Moscow & got punched for their troubles.
America was kindler and gentler. We let Skylab fall apart all over Western Australia. But what the heck. The Aussies got lots of room. :P