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This page contains all of the posts and discussion on MemeStreams referencing the following web page: NASA Developing Fission Surface Power Technology | SpaceRef - Your Space Reference. You can find discussions on MemeStreams as you surf the web, even if you aren't a MemeStreams member, using the Threads Bookmarklet.

NASA Developing Fission Surface Power Technology | SpaceRef - Your Space Reference
by bucy at 6:50 pm EDT, Sep 10, 2008

When NASA astronauts return to the moon and begin establishing a lunar outpost, they will need power sources on the lunar surface. Engineers at NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland have been exploring the possibility of nuclear fission to provide the necessary power and have taken initial steps toward a non-nuclear system-level technology demonstration of this type of power system.

A potential fission surface power system on the moon would generate a steady 40 kilowatts of electric power, enough for about eight houses on Earth. Fission surface power systems depend on splitting uranium atoms in a reactor to generate heat that is converted into electric power. They offer many potential advantages over other power sources, including the ability to produce large amounts of power in harsh environments, like the surfaces of the moon and Mars, without depending on sunlight. The primary components of fission surface power systems are a heat source, power conversion, heat rejection and power conditioning and distribution.

I hope this pans out because then they can put it on deep space probes which are stuck in the meantime since we're out of Pu-238.


 
 
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