NASA is facing the prospect of trying to explore deep space without the aid of the long-lasting nuclear batteries it has relied upon for decades to send spacecraft to destinations where sunlight is in short supply.
NASA will accelerate missions featuring space nuclear power which marks a major milestone for robotic exploration, but is a controversial move among groups that oppose space nuclear power because of launch safety concerns.
The US has officially notified the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency that NASA is preparing to launch New Horizons, its Pluto-bound mission carrying 10.9 kilograms of radioactive material. The notification is intended to warn other states of the possibility of a launch accident that could scatter plutonium in the atmosphere.
NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, scheduled to launch on January 17th, will answer many questions on its nine-year voyage out to Pluto. However, activists are concerned that the nuclear-powered spacecraft could cause significant radioactive contamination if there is an accident during launch.
Anti-nuclear activists and pro-space advocates square off on whether nuclear powered spacecraft are safe.
The author argues that NASA's nuclear propulsion program increases the risks of catastrophic nuclear accidents on the launchpad and paves the way for the militarization of space.
New demands from the U.S. national security community have cut into the supply of Plutonium 238 available to be used for upcoming space science missions.
Ralph McNutt, a senior space physicist at John Hopkins, argues that NASA should not rely on untested nuclear propulsion for the time-sensitive Pluto mission.
The White House-backed NASA budget for fiscal year 2003 includes a major nuclear systems initiative that sets the stage for faster trip times by spacecraft exploring the solar system and powering human outposts on distant worlds.
NASA will request funding for development of a space nuclear reactor. For the first time in a decade, the space agency is seeking funds to proceed with developing the power source, seen as critical to move forward on future space exploration initiatives.