The following is from the NATIONAL SPACE POLICY of the UNITED STATES of AMERICA:
Space Nuclear Power The United States shall develop and use space nuclear power systems where such systems safely enable or significantly enhance space exploration or operational capabilities. Approval by the President or his designee shall be required to launch and use United States Government spacecraft utilizing nuclear power systems either with a potential for criticality or above a minimum threshold of radioactivity, in accordance with the existing interagency review process. To inform this decision, the Secretary of Energy shall conduct a nuclear safety analysis for evaluation by an ad hoc Interagency Nuclear Safety Review Panel that will evaluate the risks associated with launch and in-space operations.
The Secretary of Energy shall: -Assist the Secretary of Transportation in the licensing of space transportation activities involving spacecraft with nuclear power systems; -Provide nuclear safety monitoring to ensure that operations in space are consistent with any safety evaluations performed; and -Maintain the capability and infrastructure to develop and furnish nuclear power systems for use in United States Government space systems.
In my opinion White House politics on total reliance on 'Commercial Space' development was bad policy & politics and what you observe today is a 'mad house' of competing interests that will effectively kill HSF in the short term unless this policy is untangled carefully with strong leadership from gov't-&-industry quickly. I do praise Sen. Nelson on Heavy Lift because he's after all pragmatic on the NASA side of the space equation which has no other alternative but to go nuke in space it's up to gov't space to lead the way and Heavy lift (liquid & solid Ares) is the way to go for future space markets to open (most NS readers advocated this 10 years ago and many space nuke professionals dedicated a lifetime to develop). The fact is future space will require infrastructure and nuke propulsion & power a key component to protect U.S. industry and worker skill sets and space jobs. I also do want a commercial sector to start participating in space but providing the services they can easily manage efficiently without failures to allow them to be sustainable. Everyone knows by now these are very difficult economic times characterized by bloated sometimes with corrupt politics by gov't bureaucratic and private banking business practises. Only fair free trade in international and increased domestic production, sound money, healthy savings accounts and transparent monetary policy can once again establish trust and grow a fair market economy. ITAR issues need to reflect fair investment in quality information through fair policy in gov't-to-gov't and industry-to-gov't. reciprocity and not be calling out to discredit potential customers on charges of industrial espionage.
Nope, there is no doubt if you want a robust sustainable U.S. Space Program you need to be paving the road with a trustworthy business and governmental policies and practises. One sure technical engineering method and science is nuclear energy and I'm glad the administration has at least employed words to describe it in this U.S. space policy- it is about time Space Nuclear science and technology be recognized for its potential to grow human and robotic presence in our solar system.
-- Edited by NUKE ROCKY44 on Sunday 4th of July 2010 12:17:04 AM
-- Edited by NUKE ROCKY44 on Sunday 4th of July 2010 12:17:58 AM
-- Edited by NUKE ROCKY44 on Sunday 4th of July 2010 02:18:06 AM