U.S. eyes building nuclear power plants on the moon, Mars

Re:U.S. eyes building nuclear power plants on the moon, Mars by sandworm101 on Sunday July 26, 2020 @11:45AM (#23957912)

An rtg can be designed to handle cooling failure. It isn't like a water reactor. As the brick heats it expands, decreasing reactivity and heat production. So an rtg can live perfectly well without its cooling system. It won't be making useful power, but it isn't going into meltdown either.

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Re:U.S. eyes building nuclear power plants on the moon, Mars by mechhacker on Sunday July 26, 2020 @03:36PM (#23959558)

This wasn't a typical RTG. It had stirling engine and was a lot more efficient (made a lot more power per unit weight of Pu) than RTG.

I don't think there was any way to save and restart anything if an engine failed as it would have likely destroyed the engine.

https://rps.nasa.gov/system/downloadable_items/36_APP_ASRG_F...

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Re:U.S. eyes building nuclear power plants on the moon, Mars by Robotbeat on Sunday July 26, 2020 @01:32PM (#23958620)

The RTG has to be kept cool continuously on the launch pad with a nitrogen purge. All cooped up in a fairing, it’d cook the spacecraft if the heat wasn’t rejected somehow

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