New Space Technology Guide Omits Nuclear Power
NEW SPACE TECHNOLOGY GUIDE OMITS NUCLEAR POWER The Department of Defense has published a new "Space Technology Guide" that responds to a legislative requirement "to identify the technologies needed ... to take full advantage of use of space for national security purposes." The Guide covers the familiar gamut of "enabling technologies" for national security space activities from propulsion to communications to materials, and so forth. With one exception. Unlike practically every other survey of military space technologies over the past few decades, the new Guide conspicuously omits any mention of space nuclear power. Space nuclear reactors have long been on the military's wish list because they would offer an exceptionally high power to mass ratio in a compact, survivable form. Just what you need to drive your orbital weapons platform. But for that reason, they have also been a lightning rod for public concern and criticism. In 1988, a proposal for a ban on nuclear reactors in Earth orbit was developed by the Los Angeles-based Committee to Bridge the Gap and advanced as an arms control measure by U.S. and Russian scientists, including the Federation of American Scientists. Other forms of nuclear power for civilian space exploration have also been opposed by anti-nuclear activists. A Pentagon spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for an explanation of the omission of space nuclear power from the latest planning documents. The U.S. launched one 500 Watt space nuclear reactor in 1965. Dozens of reactors were deployed in orbit by the former Soviet Union between 1967 and 1988. The last major U.S. space nuclear reactor development program, known as the SP-100, was canceled nearly a decade ago. The new DoD Space Technology Guide is posted here: http://www.fas.org/spp/military/stg.htm == You are subscribed to the Europa Icepick mailing list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Project information and list (un)subscribe info: http://klx.com/europa/
Re: New Space Technology Guide Omits Nuclear Power
Of course, if the "official" guide omits any mention of nuclear powered craft, that could be because they are keeping sensitive military information to themselves. I don't think there were too many corporate memos circling around about the Manhattan project. On Tue, 6 Feb 2001, Larry Klaes wrote: NEW SPACE TECHNOLOGY GUIDE OMITS NUCLEAR POWER The Department of Defense has published a new "Space Technology Guide" that responds to a legislative requirement "to identify the technologies needed ... to take full advantage of use of space for national security purposes." The Guide covers the familiar gamut of "enabling technologies" for national security space activities from propulsion to communications to materials, and so forth. With one exception. Unlike practically every other survey of military space technologies over the past few decades, the new Guide conspicuously omits any mention of space nuclear power. Space nuclear reactors have long been on the military's wish list because they would offer an exceptionally high power to mass ratio in a compact, survivable form. Just what you need to drive your orbital weapons platform. But for that reason, they have also been a lightning rod for public concern and criticism. In 1988, a proposal for a ban on nuclear reactors in Earth orbit was developed by the Los Angeles-based Committee to Bridge the Gap and advanced as an arms control measure by U.S. and Russian scientists, including the Federation of American Scientists. Other forms of nuclear power for civilian space exploration have also been opposed by anti-nuclear activists. A Pentagon spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for an explanation of the omission of space nuclear power from the latest planning documents. The U.S. launched one 500 Watt space nuclear reactor in 1965. Dozens of reactors were deployed in orbit by the former Soviet Union between 1967 and 1988. The last major U.S. space nuclear reactor development program, known as the SP-100, was canceled nearly a decade ago. The new DoD Space Technology Guide is posted here: http://www.fas.org/spp/military/stg.htm == You are subscribed to the Europa Icepick mailing list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Project information and list (un)subscribe info: http://klx.com/europa/ == You are subscribed to the Europa Icepick mailing list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Project information and list (un)subscribe info: http://klx.com/europa/
Re: New Space Technology Guide Omits Nuclear Power
In a message dated 2/6/2001 11:46:22 AM Alaskan Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Of course, if the "official" guide omits any mention of nuclear powered craft, that could be because they are keeping sensitive military information to themselves. I don't think there were too many corporate memos circling around about the Manhattan project. Alternatively, such an 'official guide' is merely popcorn for the public -- looks pretty, but doesn't satisfy. It wouldn't do to mention nuclear power in an official guide that is supposed to drum up public support. Ergo, lots of pretty pictures, and a few unworkable 'space age' ideas. As the fellow above suggests, nuclear powered propulsion units are noteworthy as the exception, and that really says something beyond their substantive value as technology. In the event of a real, pressing need, however, I have no doubt that nuclear power would be developed for space propulsion. From what I've gleaned, however, more than half of a space mission is public relations. -- JHB == You are subscribed to the Europa Icepick mailing list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Project information and list (un)subscribe info: http://klx.com/europa/
