Did China Just Leapfrog the US Space Program?? (Page 2/2)
rinselberg SEP 15, 02:51 PM
This Chinese space systems nuclear reactor project is being described as having an electrical power output of 1.0 or 1.5 megawatts.

The nuclear electrical generators that NASA has been using, which are not technically known as "reactors" but as Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators or RTGs, aren't even up to 1.0 kilowatt. The project that NASA (maybe) currently has in the planning stage for a nuclear reactor on Mars is about 40 kilowatts.

So if the descriptions of what the Chinese are up to are accurate, they are in a nuclear regime that is 2 or 3 orders of magnitude more powerful than anything that NASA has ever launched, or even seriously contemplated.

Looks like we are still some years away from China revealing more exactly what it's up to with these space nukes.

Edited to add:
"With great beer power comes great responsibility."

[This message has been edited by rinselberg (edited 09-15-2022).]

Patrick SEP 15, 03:12 PM

quote
Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]:

Patrick, not trying to be a jerk, but I think a lot of your trepidation comes from years of propaganda.



Todd, we're all susceptible to propaganda. I've seen it for years in your political rants!


quote
Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]:

Your fear and concerns about nuclear power are certainly founded, but these are things that are easily solved. NASA managed to solve this problem in the 60s, and they do it even better, with better technology, in the 2020s.

The only question I have is, do we trust CHINA to properly mitigate risks like we would in North America or Europe?



Again, I repeat...


quote
Originally posted by Patrick:

I'd be very surprised if what the Voyagers are using is anything like what the Chinese wish to implement.

[EDIT] Thank-you to Rinse for posting some clarification on this matter!




To be clear, I'm definitely not against space exploration. I can still remember my parents and I staring at the TV in disbelief and wonder back on July 20th of 1969, watching Neil Armstrong take that "one small step for a man..." (that's what Neil meant to say) on the Moon. I'm not even against the safe implementation of nuclear power.

However, what I definitely am against is the general public needing to take any unnecessary health (and/or life and death) risks... so that powerful multinationals can further line their pockets by turning space into just another resource grab.

[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 09-15-2022).]

Patrick SEP 15, 03:25 PM

quote
Originally posted by rinselberg:

This Chinese space systems nuclear reactor project is being described as having an electrical power output of 1.0 or 1.5 megawatts.

The nuclear electrical generators that NASA has been using, which are not technically known as "reactors" but as Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators or RTGs, aren't even up to 1.0 kilowatt. The project that NASA (maybe) currently has in the planning stage for a nuclear reactor on Mars is about 40 kilowatts.

So if the descriptions of what the Chinese are up to are accurate, they are in a nuclear regime that is 2 or 3 orders of magnitude more powerful than anything that NASA has ever launched, or even seriously contemplated.



Rinse, thanks for clarifying that. I knew I had read somewhere that there was a HUGE difference between what NASA has done and what the Chinese have proposed to do in regards to utilizing nuclear energy.
Notorio SEP 15, 04:46 PM

quote
Originally posted by Patrick:

Rinse, thanks for clarifying that. I knew I had read somewhere that there was a HUGE difference between what NASA has done and what the Chinese have proposed to do in regards to utilizing nuclear energy.



Indeed, yes, thanks for the clarification. But have I misread the article? It looked to me they had proven the technology (without disclosing any evidence), and that the 'proposal' is just where to apply it.

Edited to add this quote from the article ...


quote
The reactor itself is known as HELSINKI. It was conceived in 2019 and recently passed a comprehensive performance evaluation. This effectively means that it works as predicted and meets China’s specifications. With a whopping 1 MW output, it will be one of the most potent power sources in the space industry, and this has many at NASA worried.



p.s. I recall that when I originally saw this I choked on the 3-year time from Conception to Comprehensive Performance Eval -- that would be impressive if true.

[This message has been edited by Notorio (edited 09-15-2022).]

82-T/A [At Work] SEP 15, 08:03 PM

quote
Originally posted by Patrick:

Rinse, thanks for clarifying that. I knew I had read somewhere that there was a HUGE difference between what NASA has done and what the Chinese have proposed to do in regards to utilizing nuclear energy.



I like you man, but I feel like this is a win/lose argument for you. This was emphasized for me apparently, but I fail to really care what type of reactor that China is using, versus what the Voyagers are using.

The question you asked me was what the "average Joe" would get from the advancement in space technology. For me, I want the human race to explore space. When I'm gone, a few people will care, but another 7.9999 billion will not. But when we land on Mars... all 8 billion will care.

Without space.. what exactly is the point? Is it for me to buy as many Fieros as possible? Or to accept Jesus Christ as my lord and savior? I've already done both... but neither of those helps the human race. Advancement in space does, however.
maryjane SEP 16, 11:07 AM
There are over 150 nuclear powered ships on and below the ocean surface today and over 1/2 of them belong to the USA.
Most are in the 100-300mw range.

Depending who you ask, 8 or 9 are 'known' to have been lost.
USSR-5
Russia-2
USA-2 ( SSN 593Thresher. SSN 589 Scorpion)
D3M6B SEP 17, 09:35 PM

quote
Originally posted by Notorio:

This news is from early this month. I was hoping to see some follow-on articles with more detail but no luck yet. If this is true, China will dominate space exploration (and militarization) for the next 25 years. Methinks they would have taken this path because they wouldn't worry about wherever a reactor might crash and spread radioactive waste, whereas NASA would. With that aside, the benefits seem worth the risk to me.

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No...... They maybe'ed
duck, duck, goosed us.
And we are both giggling as we are running around the circle