Friday, 20 December 1991 Washington, DC

1. RAIN OF TERROR ENDS! PENTAGON DROPS STAR WARS REACTOR PROGRAM.
Now that SDI has been demoted to a ground-based defense, there is no longer a need for the SP-100 space nuclear power system. The 100 kW reactor would use highly enriched uranium nitride fuel, liquid lithium coolant, thermoelectric power conversion and lots of money--about $500M so far, with billions more needed. SDI star warriors imagined hundreds of orbital battle stations powered by these things. It was a terrifying prospect; with each passing day the untended reactors become more dangerous as fission products accumulate. They would have a lifetime of only seven years; after a few generations there would be thousands of them. With luck the spent reactors might stay in orbit, but the odds are good that some would return to earth--perhaps following a collision with a bag of frozen fecal matter from Mir. Even so, in 1989 a National Research Council panel, chaired by Joseph Gavin Jr. of Grumman, endorsed the SP-100 program. (Why am I not surprised?) It seems unlikely that Congress would ever allow reactors in earth orbit. Reactors might, however, be useful to NASA on deep space probes, since at launch they are no more dangerous than any other debris. Not to worry, the Soviets or Russians or whoever are still trying to sell us their new space reactor. More advanced than the SP-100, Topaz uses thermionic conversion in the reactor core, with no need to pump coolant--and it would cost only about 1% as much.

2. APPLICANTS SOUGHT FOR APS/AIP CONGRESSIONAL SCIENCE FELLOWSHIP
program in 1992-93. Fellows serve one year in a congressional staff position. The APS program, which is in its 18th year, was reviewed this fall by a panel chaired by President-Elect Ernest Henley. Not only have past Fellows contributed to congressional understanding of science issues, their knowledge of the political process is a continuing resource for the science community. The deadline is 31 January 1992. For information call 202/232-0189.

3. THE HORMESIS THESIS: ARE WE GETTING ENOUGH IONIZING RADIATION?
You never know where the complaints will come from in this game. In our item last week on the Nuclear Shipyard Workers Study, we reported, "No one seems ready to suggest that low-level radiation is good for you." Wrong!! A radiation hormesis effect has been proposed. We couldn't find "hormesis" in our dictionary, but we are assured that it refers to things that are good for you in small amounts, but disastrous in large doses. Like, what isn't?

4. WINTER SOLSTICE BRINGS CHANGE--OR AT LEAST RUMORS OF CHANGE.
o The rumor that Walter Massey is leaving NSF to be the new President of Stanford is flatly denied by Massey's office.

o There is a shake-up at the SSC. No final decision, but John Rees is expected to replace Paul Riordan as Project Manager.

o The new Russian Academy of Science overwhelmingly elected Yuri Osipov, Yeltsin's choice, as President over Yvgeny Velikov, who could not overcome his connection to Gorbachev.



Bob Park can be reached via email at whatsnew@bobpark.org
THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND
Opinions are the author's and are not necessarily shared by the University, but they should be.