A stockpile of material known as neptunium-237 should be transported to Oak Ridge later this year as part of an effort to power future space missions.
The project has taken a while to get off the ground, with news reports dating back to at least 1998 and a “record of decision” to essentially greenlight the task being issued in 2001. Funding issues still exist, though.
April 13th, 2004
Lab could power space missions The Oak Ridger
March 26th, 2004
Nuclear research at ORNL The Oak Ridger
Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s nuclear-related research involves everything from revolutionary reactor concepts to power sources for space missions. “We have the broadest base of nuclear work,” said David Hill, associate laboratory director for Energy and Engineering Technologies. That’s a good thing, especially if you pay attention to news reports that indicate the nuclear power industry is talking about revival and that the American reliance on nuclear energy is likely to grow significantly in coming decades.
July 11th, 2003
Couple hooked on extremes The Oak Ridger
Taking the UT/ORNL marriage to heart, this couple spends quality time descending into some of the world’s deepest gold mines as a precursor to the search for life on Mars.