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… but why Rolls Royce? Also interesting that they didn’t pick a US nuclear company. This is obviously a boon to the contract winner. These decisions always hav
by nonethewiser 4y ago
… but why Rolls Royce?
Also interesting that they didn’t pick a US nuclear company. This is obviously a boon to the contract winner. These decisions always have a political aspect to it. What does this signal?
Edit: wow, massive oversight. I thought this was NASA. Nevermind! Still, the Rolls Royce choice isn’t obvious to me.
- cdot2 4y agoAlong with making fancy cars, Rolls Royce is a significant aerospace engineering company well known for their jet engines. https://www.rolls-royce.com/ https://www.rolls-royce.com/
- 8ytecoder 4y agoCar brand is owned by BMV. RR now is primarily known as a defence contractor and jet engine manufacturer (and other powerplants). To answer your original question, Rolls Royce is a major job provider in the UK. This is probably an attempt to revive it in addition to building it. A lot of these are job programs first. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Motor_Cars https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Motor_Cars
- nonethewiser 4y agoStill, I would be surprised if the US government commissioned a reactor from Pratt and Whitney.
- guiriduro 4y agoMore relevant for this case is that they are also involved in Submarine propulsion, which usually means nuclear. So I would guess that they have significant experience.
- Reason077 4y agoYes. Rolls-Royce reactors have powered the UK's nuclear submarine fleet since 1966: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_PWR https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_PWR
- rch 4y agoThis could be politically relevant: https://www.rolls-royce.com/media/press-releases/2023/13-03-2023-nuclear-reactors-from-rolls-royce-to-power-australian-submarines.aspx https://www.rolls-royce.com/media/press-releases/2023/13-03-...
- TheRealPomax 4y agoEver flown in an Airbus or newer Boeing? You're flying Rolls Royce.
- Reason077 4y ago> "the Rolls Royce choice isn’t obvious to me." Well, this is being funded by the UK Space Agency, and Rolls-Royce is the only UK company that manufactures small nuclear reactors that could be adapted for the lunar environment. Seems pretty obvious to me!
- simonh 4y agoRolls Royce already makes the nuclear reactors for the UK's current fleet of nuclear submarine, and is developing the reactor for the new SSN-AUKUS subs that are currently in the design phase. They also market a modular reactor for civilian applications. Presumably these are all based on a common core design and the research grant is to adapt it for space applications. https://www.rolls-royce.com/innovation/small-modular-reactors.aspx#/ https://www.rolls-royce.com/innovation/small-modular-reactor...
- kwhitefoot 4y agoRR the aerospace company and RR the car company were split apart in the 1960s. The have had nothing but the name in common for many decades.