Nuclear Powerd Space Probes

Putting radioactive uranium aboard a spaceship may not seem like the most sensible move after Saturdays shuttle tragedy. But thats exactly what NASA plans to do. And experts in the space community are applauding the agency for the effort. NASA has earmarked $279 million for 2004 -- and $3 billion over the next five years -- for its nuclear efforts, collectively known as Project Prometheus. The centerpiece of the program: developing a nuclear-powered, electric engine that will put an unmanned probe in orbit around three of Jupiters moons sometime after 2011. But Prometheus is more than a one-time exploratory effort, experts said. With its use of nuclear power, it is the critical first step in detailing the solar systems outer reaches -- and, eventually, in sending people to other planets.
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