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Periodic Videos takes a look a the element Neptunium
As a kind of plug (sorry), thorium based reactors are really great sources of Pu238 creation via neptunium exposure to flux. Pu238 is unique among isotopes as to be both physically and radioactively hot, but that radiation relatively benign, weak alpha particles (but your still number one if my heart!). Very simple shielding is needed to keep electronics safe...and a layer of human skin is all the shielding you need for a human . Problem is, isotopes of plutonium are all chemically identical, in a normal uranium reactor, you get the full range of Pu (239 weapons, 240 spontaneous fissions, 241 smoke detector ect). This means you don't get that nice predictable alpha decay, you get a mix of everything...not so good, you need REALLY pure Pu238 to be useful in Radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG, the things that powers curiosity). Just one of the many overlooked but awesome things about radionuclides. </end shameless plug>
Voyager: 35 Years Later
radioisotope thermoelectric generator
[edit] I'm pretty sure this is the same technology powering the Curiosity rover on Mars.
>> ^erlanter:
How is it powered?
Mars Science Laboratory - Insane Descent Sequence
I was wondering why there were no solar panels on this behemoth so I did a little googling and discovered that they're going with a whole radioisotope decay thing. Plutonium: it's not just for breakfast anymore.
Nuclear energy is your friend
wow, that animation was top notch and very cool. that song brought back memories.
Of course they left out that part about all the harmful nuclear waste that has a half life of ???? (varying dependent upon the type of radioisotopes)
read this and be disturbed
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_waste
http://murray.senate.gov/hanfordcleanup/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanford_Site
Graphic Australian Anti-Smoking Ad
Marlboro Radioisotope Lights
Arsenal of Hypocricy - the space program and the military
Just great how absolutely no effort is taken to distinguish between militarization of space and the use of nuclear related technology such as radioisotope thermal generators for scientific exploration. "oh noes teh atomes!!!" type tin foil hat fodder I'm afraid.