If one gives this problem a bit of thought I think it is really political problem, not a safety issue. First, nuclear fuel is just pieces of metal or ceramic. I

If one gives this problem a bit of thought I think it is really political problem, not a safety issue. First, nuclear fuel is just pieces of metal or ceramic. If it blows up on launch these won't explode in a nuclear chain reaction like what happens in a nuclear weapon. They will just scatter and fall into the sea. They have not been activated yet so they have very low radioactivity at that point. Brand new nuclear fuel is basically harmless. The worry with nueclear fuel is after it is used it becomes very radioactive. And, even if the fuel was a problem, reactors are going to be designed to be refueled. One could send up the reactor and fuel on different launches with the fuel sent in packaging the would survive any explosion (although the fuel itself already would) RTGs are actually more of a radiological hazard, as the fuel for those are necessarily very radioactive. In the end I do agree with your position that the safety of the people on Earth are likely to be a problem because safety is a feeling, not some well defined risk factor. Without some large generational educational project (or maybe change the name?), most people will think that nuclear power can never be safe, even when driving their gasoline powered car on a two lane road to work.