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A comment on U.S. tests nuclear power system to sustain astronauts on Mars. Parent comment

Re:U.S. tests nuclear power system to sustain astronauts on ... by Jesus_Jones on Friday January 19, 2018 @01:57AM (#16184589)
Just bury it out back, we'll clean it up later just like we did in Hanford. No problemo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanford_Site.

More seriously, we can afford to have a small amount of nuclear waste there, but we need to plan for it better than we have previously. First, document where it is and what it contains. Second, I don't know.

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Re:U.S. tests nuclear power system to sustain astronauts on ... by sebcat on Friday January 19, 2018 @04:20AM (#16185019)
Or Runit Island: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runit_Island
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Re:U.S. tests nuclear power system to sustain astronauts on ... by gh02t on Friday January 19, 2018 @11:25AM (#16187402)
Yep, Hanford Site was/is an epic disaster.

The correct response is reprocessing. Most of the "waste" generated by power reactors is actually still usable as fuel. It also eliminates the really long-lived stuff, so that the small amount of leftover waste only has to be kept stored for a much more manageable 500-1000 years.

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Re:U.S. tests nuclear power system to sustain astronauts on ... by optimiz3 on Friday January 19, 2018 @02:12AM (#16184635)
Fun fact: right across from the Hanford Site is a massive Conagra plantation. Source: visited Hanford Site, looked up the company associated with the plantation across the road.
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