Nuke-powered Planes
I guess I was too sanguine the other day when I said we'd never have nuclear reactors circling overhead.
Read the article here.
Comments
Nuclear flying machines have been proposed many a time but have always been rejected because of the danger they present. At least, that's what we're told.
<RANT>
BTW, while we're on the subject of DRONES: Every R/C model airplane, car, and boat is, in effect, a drone and, it seems, the "news" agencies around the US have latched onto this idea and have used this factoid to promote sales. Some cop with a model airplane is hardly wielding a weapon of mass destruction! Nor is (s)he capable of snooping on a large scale over an extended period.
That said, back in the late 60s we built a DRONE aircraft to be used as target practice by our gun control system on the ship. It was built and flown by a member of the crew who was an R/C buff for a few hundred dollars. That was 50 years ago and R/C has gotten a lot cheaper and a lot better. An R/C plane doesn't cost tens of thousands of dollars and I don't care what gizmos it's loaded with.
</RANT>
All this is going to be moot in about 259 days anyhow.
<RANT>
BTW, while we're on the subject of DRONES: Every R/C model airplane, car, and boat is, in effect, a drone and, it seems, the "news" agencies around the US have latched onto this idea and have used this factoid to promote sales. Some cop with a model airplane is hardly wielding a weapon of mass destruction! Nor is (s)he capable of snooping on a large scale over an extended period.
That said, back in the late 60s we built a DRONE aircraft to be used as target practice by our gun control system on the ship. It was built and flown by a member of the crew who was an R/C buff for a few hundred dollars. That was 50 years ago and R/C has gotten a lot cheaper and a lot better. An R/C plane doesn't cost tens of thousands of dollars and I don't care what gizmos it's loaded with.
</RANT>
All this is going to be moot in about 259 days anyhow.
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 04/05/12 at 11:51 PM
Aww come on, what could possibly go wrong?
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 04/06/12 at 12:38 AM
Most of the previous nuclear powered aircraft suggested have been with full, live reactors . . . these are using radioactive decay batteries, where the heat of the radioactive material is converted to electricity by thermocouples. No actual nuclear reaction is taking place apart form the natural decay of atoms that is even now happening to the atoms in your body.
Still, the problems involved with one crashing and spreading several ounces of this stuff around is admittedly a concern - be much better if it was burning, toxic jet fuel 😊
Still, the problems involved with one crashing and spreading several ounces of this stuff around is admittedly a concern - be much better if it was burning, toxic jet fuel 😊
Posted by DF Stuckey on 06/12/12 at 06:19 AM
Maybe we should us it against North Korea
Posted by John on 02/07/13 at 08:21 PM
If my history lessons serves me we're still at war with them. There's never been a formal end put to it.
Or.... we could just quit sending them food and money.
Or.... we could just quit sending them food and money.
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 02/07/13 at 11:30 PM
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Category: Atomic Power and Other Nuclear Matters | Air Travel and Airlines | Armed Forces