Russia Withholding Plutonium NASA Needs for Deep Space Exploration, page 1
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Topic started on 13-12-2009 @ 06:20 PM by Max_TO

Russia Withholding Plutonium NASA Needs for Deep Space Exploration


www.spacenews.com
WASHINGTON — Russia has reneged on an agreement to deliver a total of 10 kilograms of plutonium-238 to the United States in 2010 and 2011 and is insisting on a new deal for the costly material vital to NASA’s deep space exploration plans.

The move follows the U.S. Congress’ denial of President Barack Obama’s request for $30 million in 2010 to permit the Department of Energy to begin the painstaking process of restarting domestic production of plutonium-238. Bringing U.S. nuclear laboratories back on line to produce the isotope is expected to cost at least $150 million and take six y
(visit the link for the full news article)


reply posted on 13-12-2009 @ 06:36 PM by Zaphod58
reply to post by princeofpeace


The US produces very limited amounts of Pu-238. NASA has bought all of its Plutonium from Russia since 1993.
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