Russia Withholding Plutonium NASA Needs for Deep Space Exploration

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

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So how long until NASA can't compete with other nations and there space fairing achievements , assuming it has not already taken place .

What will be the face of NASA in 50 years time and how will they compare to other nations and there space programs ?

Aside from all of that , what do you think of Russia doing this to NASA ? Not very friendly of them to say the least , not to mention the message they may be trying to send to the US government and there space ambitions .

www.spacenews.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Wow, they denied him 30 million? Aren't we handing out trillions, and just 30 million could restart our production to supply more power and to bring us a supply to better understand out knowledge of space. #, if I was rich I would give them the money to restart production.

i find it harder to believe the US cant produce 10Kgs of plutonium. Maybe the US shold buy some from North Korea?

reply to post by princeofpeace


LOL now thats a good one

Second line

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.

Wow he is really screwing things up isn't he? Instead of bringing the nuclear plants back online to produce all we want, he wants to rely on other countries for our research. Then conveniently those other countries can deny to sell us what we need to do what we want to do.

Well maybe we should build more tanks and flag draped caskets. Seems to be what our leaders enjoy. They seem content to just watch America fall apart and die just to keep there ass in a seat in Congress.

Looks like the space race may be on!!!!
I think given what everyone is being told i wouldnt give them a dime. Billions have been spent on their "space explorations" yet the "People" that pay the bill for it are left in the dark???? The people being us. I hope that disclosure will be coming soon and all governments come clean. Imagine the position the US government is going to be in if another Country discloses first and the citizens suddenly find that they have been lied to?
Its a bit like infidelity....if youre stupid enough to do it youre best off coming clean before he/she finds out from someone else!!!

From what I understand, pretty much everything the US needs that is radioactive is imported. For example, medical supplies (e.g. tracers). Something really needs to be done to fix this, IMO.

Originally posted by Hastobemoretolife
Wow he is really screwing things up isn't he? Instead of bringing the nuclear plants back online to produce all we want, he wants to rely on other countries for our research. Then conveniently those other countries can deny to sell us what we need to do what we want to do.

Why don't you actually read the frigin first post before going off on a misled uninformed rant?

He? As in Obama?
It wasn't Obamas decision to get plutonium 238 from Russia, that process was started back in 1993.

Not only that, Obama was seeking funding to restart production domestically, in America, but congress denied him.

So instead of attacking him, why don't you aim your anger at Congress, the ones who actually said no to the funding necessary?

The question is....why did russia go back on thier agreement? They just tested a new ICBM missle, as the light over Norwway int he news...wonder if they wanna keep that plutonium for thier missles now..?

Russia went back on the agreement to force NASA to pay them more money. Watch what happens when the Shuttle gets retired and Russia becomes the only link to the ISS. While I have my doubts about Obama, this one isn't his fault. Let's put the blame where it belongs, on Congress. Face it, many Congresscritters are so beholden to the tree huggers for campaign financing that when the word "Plutonium" was uttered it twisted their panties in such a knot that the vote wasn't "No" it was "Hell No!".

Originally posted by Hastobemoretolife
Wow he is really screwing things up isn't he? Instead of bringing the nuclear plants back online to produce all we want, he wants to rely on other countries for our research. Then conveniently those other countries can deny to sell us what we need to do what we want to do.

Sir, allow me to ask -- can you read? Obama wanted the domestic plutonium production to restart, he wasn't granted the money -- and it's his fault?