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.
|
