Nuclear Power In Space: Articles

[bigtree]

Nuclear Power In Space And The Impact On Earth's Ecosystem-

Included in NASA plans are the nuclear rocket to Mars; a new generation of Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) for interplanetary missions; nuclear-powered robotic Mars rovers to be launched in 2003 and 2009. Ultimately NASA envisions mining colonies on the Moon, Mars, and asteroids that would be powered by nuclear reactors.

Critics of NASA have long stated that in addition to potential health concerns from radiation exposure, the NASA space nukes initiative represents the Bush administration's covert move to develop power systems for space-based weapons such as lasers on satellites. The military has often stated that their planned lasers in space will require enormous power projection capability and that nuclear reactors in orbit are the only practical way of providing such power.

The Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space maintains that just like missile defense is a Trojan horse for the Pentagon's real agenda for control and domination of space, NASA's nuclear rocket is a Trojan horse for the militarization of space.
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/nuclearspace-03b.html

White House Go-Ahead On NASA Nuclear Prometheus Project:

In learning about the prospects for NASA's Project Prometheus, Bruce Gagnon, coordinator of the anti-nuclear group, said they oppose this development as a "dangerous step in the expansion of nuclear technology into space."

"First we are concerned about the likely toxic contamination at the Department of Energy labs as they increase plutonium processing for the Nuclear Systems Initiative," Gagnon told SPACE.com .

"Secondly the dramatic escalation of nuclear launches in the coming years only increases the chances of an accident from Florida or other launch sites," he said.

Gagnon said that he and his group fear that the nuclear reactors for Mars missions are "the ice breakers that end up becoming the reactor technologies that get adapted for space based weapons systems, long the dream of the Pentagon Star Warriors."
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/nuclear_power_030117.html

Project Prometheus:

To develop and demonstrate new power and propulsion technologies to overcome these limitations, the President’s Budget proposes $279 million; ($3 billion over five years) for Project Prometheus, which builds on the Nuclear Systems Initiative started last year. Project

Prometheus includes the development of the first nuclear-electric space mission, called the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter. This mission will conduct extensive, in-depth studies of the moons of Jupiter that may harbor subsurface oceans and thus have important implications in the search for life beyond Earth. In addition, it will prove new technologies for future NASA missions.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2004/nasa.html

NASA To Boost Nuclear Space Science With Project Prometheus
Los Angeles - Jan 20, 2003
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/oped-03c.html

:nuke:

Mission Fact Sheet:
http://spacescience.nasa.gov/missions/JIMO.pdf

How will the system be used?:
http://spacescience.nasa.gov/missions/fissiontech.pdf

Claims of nuclear space saftey:
http://spacescience.nasa.gov/missions/fissiontechsafety.pdf

Here's an excerpt from the NuclearSpace website about the system. http://www.nuclearspace.com/use_in_space.htm

:nuke:

An effort to roll back the system:

WASHINGTON, DC, July 28, 2003 (ENS) - The House turned back an effort Friday to fully fund the Bush administration's 2004 request for the Superfund program, opting not to divert $115 million from an initiative to develop nuclear powered space flight in order to fund additional efforts to clean up hazardous waste sites.

Aerospace giants Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Northrop Grumman have each been awarded multimillion dollar contracts to develop design studies for the orbiter.
http://ens-news.com/ens/jul2003/2003-07-28-10.asp

[Stephanie]

1. What happens if Bush gets his military base on the moon

And then China decides to build one too? Then what?

[bigtree]

3. We need a new international conference on militarism of space.

One that would produce a new international treaty addressing the new inituatives by NASA and this White House.

[Cannikin]

2. Any one remember NERVA?

http://www.astronautix.com/project/nerva.htm

[Generic Other]

4. Prometheus Project?

As in the Prometheus who stole fire from the Gods and was punished eternally by having his liver picked out by a ravenous eagle on a daily basis?

That is so twisted!

What is the matter with these people? Do they equate themselves with gods? They are ants!

[bigtree]

5. kick

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/
http://spacescience.nasa.gov/missions/prometheus.htm