Nuclear powered aircraft.

[Deleted member 457759]

It hasn't been tried (on record) for a very long time. During the early days of the cold war research was done on both sides with little success due to the test results and reduced need to keep bombers in the air continuously.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear-powered_aircraft

I've always thought that this was a cool idea but I admit I'm not very educated on nuclear physics. Today, smaller nuclear reactors are in development it would be interesting to know if there are projects in the works to create a nuclear powered spaceship or aircraft. Or, if there is one in a black project somewhere.

Is this something we could see in the future or are there valid reasons why it will likely never be reality?

 

[oldshadow]

Not practical due to the weight of required shielding and the dangerous mess it would make if it crashed.

 

[Deleted member 457759]

Not practical due to the weight of required shielding and the dangerous mess it would make if it crashed.

Maybe for aircraft but with space craft that wouldn't be a problem. I believe Apollo 11 had a reactor with it and many others had one too. When you move far away from the sun solar panels aren't an option.

 

[oldshadow]

Maybe for aircraft but with space craft that wouldn't be a problem. I believe Apollo 11 had a reactor with it and many others had one too. When you move far away from the sun solar panels aren't an option.

Nuclear power has been used in the space program for different types of power generation.

http://www.energy.gov/articles/history-nuclear-power-space

 

[csroster]

I'm pretty sure nuclear powered spacecrafts have been around since before I was born. I'm assuming getting the nuclear material is the biggest bottleneck at this point.

 

[oldshadow]

I'm pretty sure nuclear powered spacecrafts have been around since before I was born. I'm assuming getting the nuclear material is the biggest bottleneck at this point.

You are talking about nuclear batteries.

 

[GhostZ06]

I'm pretty sure nuclear powered spacecrafts have been around since before I was born. I'm assuming getting the nuclear material is the biggest bottleneck at this point.

no not really, we had a lot of projects that got canceled. i think now we are getting ready to make some spacecraft NOW. But not back then..


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Orion_(nuclear_propulsion)







https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn3406-nuclear-powered-drone-aircraft-on-drawing-board/

we apparently had a nuclear powered drone flying around(northrop design) but was never seen, and was, "shelved" since it was pretty damaging to the atmosphere. A lot of good stuff could come a nuclear powered spacecraft.

 

[GhostZ06]

It's been around for awhile, we know how to do it and since we can make smaller and smaller nuclear power cells yeah it something i could see coming for deep space craft

 

[csroster]

You are talking about nuclear batteries.

Yes. Here's a list of space craft that use the RTG system.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioisotope_thermoelectric_generator

 

[ralphc1]

The big danger comes when launching.

 

[csroster]

It's been around for awhile, we know how to do it and since we can make smaller and smaller nuclear power cells yeah it something i could see coming for deep space craft

The New Horizons probe which is still operational past Pluto is powered by nuclear batteries, but it's not really a 'craft' I guess.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Horizons

 

[Deleted member 457759]

It's been around for awhile, we know how to do it and since we can make smaller and smaller nuclear power cells yeah it something i could see coming for deep space craft

I thought this as well. The future should be pretty interesting if they make a space ship for near earth exploration. Unfortunately we will likely never see long term space exploration due to the health effects of being in space.

 

[JudoThrowFiasco]

The New Horizons probe which is still operational past Pluto is powered by nuclear batteries, but it's not really a 'craft' I guess.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Horizons

so did the voyager program - once launched you just need to power it, the actual propulsion stage is long done and its now just using orbital mechanics