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RTGs have been powering deep space probes since the beginning of our travels into space. It's really the only technology that will keep a craft powered for many
by retube 15y ago
RTGs have been powering deep space probes since the beginning of our travels into space. It's really the only technology that will keep a craft powered for many years/decades. Without them you simply can't do these kinds of missions.
And they're not that scary. There's no fission (or fusion) happening here. It's just a radioactive sample that heats a surrounding material by it's natural radioactive decay.
- windsurfer 15y agoWhen isotopes decay, the process is known as fission, so there is certainly fission going on.
- burgerbrain 15y agoHe means there is no sustained chain reaction going on. It's neither critical nor supercritical. I have a chunk of uranium ore on my bookshelf doing it right now.
- tobylane 15y agoWhere from, what cost, any requirements for potential owners?
- sp332 15y agoHere you go http://unitednuclear.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2_5 http://unitednuclear.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath... Shipped direct from Oak Ridge!
- burgerbrain 15y agoI got it from a geologist buddy of mine a few years ago, I think he said he found it lying around in Arizona. It's fairly harmless, just looks like a rock really (unless you have a gieger counter). As far as I know, there are no restrictions on such things. You can pick up pieces of uranium glass and old fiestaware on ebay for a couple of bucks (both about as radioactive as my rock :)
- InclinedPlane 15y agoNot all isotopic decay is fission. When an alpha particle is emitted it can be considered fission in the broadest sense (though that's somewhat unusual nomenclature). However, when a beta particle is emitted or absorbed it's not fission.
- ender7 15y agoYou're certainly correct - sadly, that never seems to matter much to the press.
- sliverstorm 15y agoIt doesn't matter that it is not scary. Most people are unilaterally afraid of anything to do with radioactivity. Which is, in my opinion, like being scared of a house cat because you've seen lions before.