These days, discussing nuclear power evokes visions of giant cooling towers, scientists in hazmat suits at confusing control boards, and the fallout of disasters like that at Fukushima this year. But that’s on Earth. In space, where nuclear power may be our best hope of survival, the domes and disasters are gone. In their place are fully portable nuclear power systems, and some are the size of a suitcase.At the 242nd National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society, James Werner described the current results of the project he leads, where he’s tasked with developing nuclear power plants that can be transported to other worlds. New fission technology is far more compact than the sprawling plants on Earth, and is expected to power bases on the Moon, Mars and beyond.The project is a joint venture between NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy. Werner’s team is based out of the DOE’s Idaho National Laboratory, and has been tasked with designing and modeling the reactor as well as developing fuel and cooling systems. The first demonstration unit is expected to be built by 2012.Werner said in a press release:People would never recognize the fission power system as a nuclear power reactor. The reactor itself may be about 1.5 feet wide by 2.5 feet high, about the size of a carry-on suitcase. There are no cooling towers. A fission power system is a compact, reliable, safe system that may be critical to the establishment of outposts or habitats on other planets. Fission power technology can be applied on Earth’s Moon, on Mars, or wherever NASA sees the need for continuous power.In the past, space adventures were powered by solar arrays and fuel cells, but both have limitations. Fuel cells require heavy fuel to be carried along on a mission; creating fuel on site is sometimes feasible but requires an extra energy source anyway. Solar arrays must be large, can be difficult to protect and maintain, and only work when sunlight’s available.But a nuclear suitcase? That fits the spaceflight bill perfectly: light, compact and useful whether it’s on the dark side of the Moon or at the bottom of a canyon on Mars. And building a system from the ground-up with the needs of a small space expedition (rather than an Earth city) in mind, Werner’s team was significantly able to shrink the packaging."While the physics are the same, the low power levels, control of the reactor and the material used for neutron reflection back into the core are completely different," Werner said. "Weight is also a significant factor that must be minimized in a space reactor that is not considered in a commercial reactor."Weight is one of the most important factors in planning space expeditions. It takes a lot of energy to cover the distance to Mars, just as it takes a whole lot of energy to blast a rocket into space in the first place. With Werner announcing that new fission tech will be put together in a viable package in the very near future, one of the biggest hurdles to building a proper space base on Mars – figuring out how to power the thing – has been nearly surmounted. Now we’ve just got to figure out how to get there.Riding nuclear rockets to Mars will get us there incredibly fast, but is it craziest, most irresponsible idea ever?
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The Virtues and Vices of Living on Mars on Earth
More Evidence For Mars As A Life-Cozy Planet
Mars Enthusiast Robert Zubrin Explains Why We Must Go to the Red Planet
Mars-Bound Astronauts in Isolation for 520 Days Hanging Out Like College Bros