Why don't spacecraft use a nuclear reactor for propulsion?

Minneola

If I worded that correctly, could you please help me out? Is it too risky or something?



Paris

I think most people have an irrational fear of nuclear proficiency, which unfortunately prevents the utilization apprised of such a well-knit energy well-spring in opening. Some nuclear reactor designs practice uranium ceramic tinder basics that would survive even a prevail over case scenario accident intact. Radiation shielding with respect to the team would be heavy, but we are probably talking neabby a spacecraft constructed bring up orbit by multiple launches necessary, so it would not sell out that grand a distribute. The benefits could sell out titanic. Some proposed nuclear-dynamical propulsion schemes could cut the cail time grate on nerves Mars down decamp 6 to 9 months grate on nerves about 30 days.



Lewisburg

WAY too risky; the using nuclear movement to proficiency a sputnik is inexorably babely dangerous, with the exception of perforce worth the vigour. The energy NASA uses takes less effort to use plus control.



Cisco

Each time NASA launches a probe that uses an isotopic reactor, there are protesters around claiming there is a risk the rocket will crash, imagine launching a complete nuclear reactor...It is not the risk, it is the public reaction. And the nuclear rocket would have to be tested before being launched, and there is again a lot of issues and potential objections in doing so. Eventually, it will happen. But again, it is a political issue.



Ruso

A nuclear reactor would require shielding of the occupants to protect them. This adds too much weight. The RTGs in spacecraft like Cassini were built by GE and generate electricity from thermocouples, and the heat from Plutonium 238 which is not reactive, bomb grade, but decays rapidly enough to provide heat energy which is converted to electricity by the thermocouples. This is called the Zeebeck, or Seebeck effect. This is different from a nuclear reactor.



Blum

do you ever imagine a rain of nuclear material over the whole earth? at that high it would be terrible!!it would be like a complete catastrophe for the world