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NASA to test prototype Kilopower nuclear reactor

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Re: NASA to test prototype Kilopower nuclear reactor

#111

Post by elihu »

jlebrech wrote: post #36
GlenTheMachine wrote: post #8

This is a very cool technology, but frankly I have a hard time imagining that it will see much use. NASA sees public protests and scare mongering whenever it tries to fly an RTG, which is based in the radioactive decay of (usually) plutonium, and does not use a nuclear chain reaction. They did fly one on Mars Science Lab, because it was the only way to get enough power for the rover. But it takes a PR hit every time…

they should be indoctrinating kids at school that nuclear is safe, rather than other "stuff" they tell them nowadays

Nuclear isn't inherently safe, though. It can be safe if the people do their jobs correctly. Whether you believe it is safe really comes down to whether you believe that regulatory agencies can provide adequate oversight to prevent people from cutting corners, making bad risk/benefit trade-offs, or sweeping problems under the rug to protect their jobs. That's more of a political problem than a technical one, and I don't really blame people for being skeptical that oversight in real-world scenarios is 100% effective.

Re: NASA to test prototype Kilopower nuclear reactor

#112

Post by ParrotyError »

yborg wrote: post #21
curtis wrote: post #6

This is similar to the "Stirling radioisotope generator" [1] but it is an actual nuclear reactor (albeit a small one). Both systems are a response to the same fundamental problem, the dwindling supply of Plutonium-238 [2]. The Stirling radioisotope generator uses Pu-238 more efficiently than thermoelectric RTGs, and the nuclear reactor from the article dispenses with Pu-238 altogether. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wi…

The problem with Stirling engines is they have moving parts. It's highly unlikely a Stirling cycle generator on the Voyagers would have operated for 40+ years as their RTGs have.

The tape recorders still work.

Re: NASA to test prototype Kilopower nuclear reactor

#113

Post by contact_fusion »

hutzlibu wrote: post #110
contact_fusion wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lasers are still subject to the diffraction limit, regardless of the quality of focus. We can examine this limit in the context of delivering energy to a remote object. This analysis will be simple - we assume that the optics are perfectly aligned (dubious - pointing is difficult); we assume nothing about the absorption properties of the object, which will necessarily need to be very high efficiency. The angular size…

Thanks! (also memorys of phsyik lectures are coming up again) And forgive a nonserious reply: "And for bringing power with you, nothing beats nuclear for energy density" I think fusion does ...

Nuclear fusion is nuclear power.

Re: NASA to test prototype Kilopower nuclear reactor

#114

Post by hutzlibu »

hutzlibu wrote: post #110
contact_fusion wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lasers are still subject to the diffraction limit, regardless of the quality of focus. We can examine this limit in the context of delivering energy to a remote object. This analysis will be simple - we assume that the optics are perfectly aligned (dubious - pointing is difficult); we assume nothing about the absorption properties of the object, which will necessarily need to be very high efficiency. The angular size…

Thanks! (also memorys of phsyik lectures are coming up again) And forgive a nonserious reply: "And for bringing power with you, nothing beats nuclear for energy density" I think fusion does ...

can't reply for some reasons ...

anyway, yes sure fusion is nuclear power, I just read in your comment nuclear fission which you did not wrote ... so never mind I am just tired at some airport ...

Re: NASA to test prototype Kilopower nuclear reactor

#115

Post by yborg »

ParrotyError wrote: post #112
yborg wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem with Stirling engines is they have moving parts. It's highly unlikely a Stirling cycle generator on the Voyagers would have operated for 40+ years as their RTGs have.

The tape recorders still work.

DTR operations were terminated on Voyager 2 in 2007, and Voyager 1 in 2015, but I don't know if this was related to mechanical problems with the tape recorders or just due to the lack of need given the data collected by the remaining instruments.
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