NASA Running Out of Plutonium

PRB_Ohio takes us to Space.com for a story about NASA's plutonium shortage, and how it may affect future missions to the far reaches of the solar system. The U.S. hasn't produced plutonium since 1988, instead preferring to purchase it from Russia. We discussed the U.S. government's plans to resume production in 2005, but those plans ended up being shelved. If NASA is unable to find an additional source, it could limit missions that take spacecraft too far from the Sun. Quoting: "Alan Stern, NASA associate administrator for science, ... said he believed the United States had sufficient plutonium-238 on hand or on order to fuel next year's Mars Science Lab, an outer planets flagship mission targeted for 2017 and a Discovery-class mission slated to fly a couple years earlier to test a more efficient radioisotope power system NASA and the Energy Department have in development. To help ensure there is enough plutonium-238 for those missions, NASA notified scientists in January that its next New Frontiers solicitation, due out in June, will seek only missions that do not require a nuclear power source."

You mean the USSR?

[wandazulu]

If I recall correctly, the Soviet Union finally dissolved in 1991. So at some point, circa 1988, somebody in either Reagan or Bush's administration decided it'd be easier to get Plutonium from the Soviet Union? You know, the sworn enemy, evil empire, etc. etc.? And even weirder, the Soviet Union agreed?

I know, it was for NASA, not the Minuteman missile, but still...

Re:WTF?

[Anonymous Coward]

You rather have Russia sell their stockpile of plutonium to someone else?

This is an opportunity

[Coward Anonymous]

First, kudos to the U.S. for buying plutonium from the Russians. What better way to get it off their hands?
Second, many people should rejoice, this is a golden opportunity to decommission a warhead or two for the plutonium in it.

Re:simple solution: ionic propulsion

[AKAImBatman]

Ion propulsion [wikipedia.org] does indeed work. NASA has used it on a variety of craft to great success. There's just one catch-22: You need POWER to convert into thrust. And where are you going to get that power when you're too far from the Sun for solar panels?

Oh, oh! I have an idea! Plutonium would solve everything!

Wait... ah, crap.

Re:You mean the USSR?

[Vellmont]

So at some point, circa 1988, somebody in either Reagan or Bush's administration decided it'd be easier to get Plutonium from the Soviet Union?

I'd say this is unlikely. The summary says we haven't PRODUCED plutonium since 1988, it says nothing about when we decided to purchase from Russia.

It could very well be the case that we had sufficient stockpiles in 1988 to last us several years until after the collapase of the Soviet Union.

Re:use noble gases

[Anonymous Coward]

Burn noble gases? yeah, brilliant idea. You failed chemistry, I guess?
  They use noble gases as reaction mass, but a power source is required. Solar is only good near the sun, obviously, so that only leaves nuclear as a viable option.

Re:What happened to the plutonium glut?

[FrankSchwab]

We have too much of the wrong isotope of Plutonium. See
http://science.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=479826&cid=22679162 [slashdot.org]

Re:WTF?

[Anonymous Coward]

It says a lot about Slashdot that not one, but two of you imbeciles modded this up.

"Whaaaaaa?" is interesting?

WTF is right...

Re:NASA is weak

[Translation Error]

How is this short sightedness on NASA's part? They're low on plutonium and have to conserve it for specific missions. Since they aren't able to produce their own plutonium, just what do you suggest they do instead?

Re:You mean the USSR?

[rleamon]

(Score: 6, Best Use of Overused Internet Meme.)

Please stop

[Anonymous Coward]

I get it. You say "Buying from Russia makes no real sense" then he gives you a reason why it does make sense, and you ignore that you were wrong and make up a new argument.

Let me make this clear for you because you're obviously a fucking moron.

TAKING RADIOACTIVE ISOTOPES OF ANY KIND AWAY FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE LAX WITH SECURITY, AND GIVING IT TO PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT LAX WITH SECURITY MAKES SENSE.

There's your reason, it makes sense, you're wrong.

There's nothing more pathetic than douchebags like you who, once proven wrong like you were, can't just take it and move on. You have to formulate some response that attempts to make you look less wrong, because it absolutely crushes you that you were shown to be ignorant in public.

Re:We're just plain running out.

[Jess]

Not to mention that there is no easily way to separate the Pu-238 from the remainder of the Pu. Someone earlier mentioned laser isotope separation. Some day perhaps this technology will be available.

Re:We have a ready supply of domestic plutonium

[Jess]

What NASA needs is pure Pu-238, not Pu-239+Pu-240+Pu-241+small amounts of Pu-238. The plutonium from recycled spent fuel rods does not contain pure Pu-238 and therefore is not suitable.