Will Nuclear Power Put Humans On Mars?

Space.com ^

[webheart]

If we're also ever going to see strange women with green hair, we need nuclear power.

While I agree on the need for nuclear power, I have seen a few strange women with green hair without it.

[webheart]

If we're also ever going to see strange women with green hair, we need nuclear power.

While I agree on the need for nuclear power, I have seen a few strange women with green hair without it.

[July 4th]

Found this: Americium was the fourth transuranic element to be discovered; the isotope 241Am was identified by Seaborg, James, Morgan, and Ghiorso late in 1944 at the wartime Metallurgical Laboratory of the University of Chicago as the result of successive neutron capture reactions by plutonium isotopes in a nuclear reactor.

[techcor]

I believe it was discovered in Chicago and was named after all of the Americas (North and South)

mvpel, you're thinking of americium 241 it's much much weaker brother. Do a search on google and it'll bring up the "Two weeks to Mars" article.

The "coherent nuclear resonant scattering" would be even better because it can be turned off or on.

[bonesmccoy]

If the President is calling for lunar stay times in excess of 2 weeks, there is NO question. The power source MUST be nuclear. The sun doesn't shine on the moon longer than two weeks at a stretch.

There may be locations near the lunar pole where you can arrange a station that has low-angled permanent light and permanent darkness in certain craters.

Those areas are of scientific interest because if there is lunar ice, the reserves present could be used by the station for atmosphere.

[RightWhale]

The nuclear question better be discussed now. It will come up, and the neo-trog/neo-luddite consortium is already printing up flyers and painting banners.

[bonesmccoy]

Discussed?

What's there to discuss?

(innocent look)

hehheh

Nukes?

What nukes?

[LibWhacker]

The nuclear thermal design is a kind of steam engine meant to mollify the luddites in the ecology movement. Screw the philistines! No timid half-measure approaches to space travel!

Freeman Dyson and the Orion team laid the groundwork for true nuclear-powered space travel 40 years ago. And they were preparing to actually do it: Launch a skyscraper-sized space cruiser with a crew of hundreds from the surface of the earth. They would've laughed at you if you asked them build a steam engine.