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Russia plans Nuclear Powered Spacecraft
Roscosmos, Russia's Federal Space Agency has a new design for a manned spacecraft powered by a nuclear engine. Anatoly Perminov, the head of the agency, told reporters yesterday the goal of the Megawatt-class spaceship was "implementing large-scale space exploration programs."
Perminov added that this new spacecraft -- which will have a preliminary design by 2012 -- is supposed to help Russia More..
Comments - sort by newest to oldest
"is supposed to help Russia maintain its edge in space, and possibly allow travel to the Moon or Mars"
We've already been to both, so how exactly going to maintain their "edge in space". If they havent been to the moon yet theyve got a long way to go.
Posted Nov-2-2009 by "I_still_likeairplanes" (R)
How, exactly, does a nuclear powered space craft work?... Steam?
Posted Nov-2-2009 by "AvgDude2" (R)
Sounds safe enough....
Posted Nov-2-2009 by "35frank" (R)
Warp speed, shields up, arm the photon torpedoes!
Posted Nov-2-2009 by "Private-Parts" (R)
yeah they use coal to generate steam
Posted Nov-2-2009 by "PlanetOfTheHumans" (R)
The Russians have plenty of GREAT ideas but the only problem is *funding*. Not just their loss, but everybody's.
Posted Nov-2-2009 by "db1709" (R)
It might be their version of the Project Orion idea, which has been around since the 50's.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Orion_(nuclear_propulsion)
Posted Nov-2-2009 by "Sam_Spade" (R)
5, 4, 3, 2, 1...KA-BOOMSKI!
Posted Nov-2-2009 by "rlnbns" (R)
It might be their version of the Project Orion idea, which has been around since the 50's.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Orion_(nuclear_propulsion)
Holy Crap!... Ride the blast wave of a thermonuclear explosion set off 200 ft. behind the vehicle!!!... What could possible go wrong?
Posted Nov-2-2009 by "AvgDude2" (R)
LOL! Thats what I was thinking.
Posted Nov-2-2009 by "PapaMidnite" (R)
this is the only smart comment on this page, everyone else is an idiot.
Posted Nov-2-2009 by "JARtoosmall" (R)
that doesn't sound very safe.
Posted Nov-2-2009 by "leadfoot072" (R)
I don't know what the Russians have in mind, but many spacecraft use plutonium-238 as their fuel source. For missions to Mars and beyond, nuclear is the only option because the sunlight is too weak to power the craft. Specifically, the plutonium emits alpha particles (helium nuclei) that convert their energy to heat. Radioisotope thermal generators convert the heat to electricity.
The only fly in the ointment is that the supply of plutonium-238 is very limited and running out. It requires a weapons-grade reactor to make the stuff. Firing up enough heavy-duty reactors to make enough fissile material will break quite a few nuclear treaties. Or maybe that's the point... an end run around the treaties.
Posted Nov-2-2009 by "copperdog3" (R)
The only fly in the ointment is that the supply of plutonium-238 is very limited and running out. It requires a weapons-grade reactor to make the stuff. Firing up enough heavy-duty reactors to make enough fissile material will break quite a few nuclear treaties. Or maybe that's the point... an end run around the treaties.
I think, the scheme they are talking about is a proper nuclear reactor that produces electricity to power an ion engine. Both pieces are viable tech, there are working research prototypes. The impulse is rather weak, but they can fire for a really long time on relatively little reactive mass. Makes sense as an interplanetary drive.
Posted Nov-3-2009 by "alexeyv" (R)
The only fly in the ointment is that the supply of plutonium-238 is very limited and running out. It requires a weapons-grade reactor to make the stuff. Firing up enough heavy-duty reactors to make enough fissile material will break quite a few nuclear treaties. Or maybe that's the point... an end run around the treaties.
I think, the scheme they are talking about is a proper nuclear reactor that produces electricity to power an ion engine. Both pieces are viable tech, there are working research prototypes. The impulse is rather weak, but they can fire for a really long time on relatively little reactive mass. Makes sense as an interplanetary drive.
If the USA aint done it, not gonna happen
Posted Nov-3-2009 by "Hitler_Is_Amazing" Premium