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> it makes me feel as if that system was designed by software engineers SL-1 feels as if it was designed and operated by Kerbals. TFA actually does mention the
by leoc 5y ago
> it makes me feel as if that system was designed by software engineers
SL-1 feels as if it was designed and operated by Kerbals. TFA actually does mention the reactor and the accident
> SL-1, a stationary low-power nuclear reactor in Idaho, blew up during refueling, killing three men.
but that barely hints at just how eye-widening the whole saga was: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOt7xDKxmCM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOt7xDKxmCM
To be fair, it is apparently considered likely that the overextraction of the rod was a deliberate murder-suicide. But yes, it seems that there's a reason that the US Navy still has a nuclear power program and the Army doesn't ( https://www.historynet.com/going-nuclear-idaho-falls.htm https://www.historynet.com/going-nuclear-idaho-falls.htm seems good; I am not an expert).
- HPsquared 5y agoThere was a lot of time pressure in those days of the Cold War. The other side was also working rapidly without much concern for safety. It was probably a consciously-made balance of risk, with relatively "minor" accidents here and there as a result of rushed development vs. the risks associated with getting overtaken by the Soviets. Technological superiority, particularly in that field, was a major factor in the balance of power at that time.