[NukeNet] [no-new-nukes-yall] Re: More on PU Shortage and NASA Missions

Kay Cumbow kcumbow at greatlakes.net
Mon Mar 10 09:01:59 EDT 2008


I appreciate this critical clarification, Roger, Jack and Jeanine. - Kay

From: Felice & Jack Cohen-Joppa <nukeresister at igc.org>
Sender: no-new-nukes-yall at yahoogroups.com
Mailing-List: list no-new-nukes-yall at yahoogroups.com; contact 
no-new-nukes-yall-owner at yahoogroups.com
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2008 21:29:02 -0700
X-ASG-Orig-Subj: [no-new-nukes-yall] Re: More on PU Shortage and 
NASA  Missions


Just for the sake of clarity, the Pu-238 used for thermoelectric generators 
is not the isotope used in weapons, and in fact is uncommon among the Pu 
isotopes, as it is not among the isotopes in waste from nuclear reactors 
and is cumbersome to produce and isolate:  following is from the Wikipedia 
page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plutonium-238

"Plutonium 238, is a radioactive isotope of plutonium with a half-life of 
87.7 years and is a very powerful alpha emitter. Because of its high level 
of alpha activity, it is used for radioisotope thermoelectric generators 
and radioisotope heater units. The use of plutonium-238 in American and 
Russian (and old Soviet Union) spacecraft is somewhat controversial.

"Plutonium-238 was the first isotope of plutonium to be discovered. It was 
synthesized by Glenn Seaborg and associates in 1941 by bombarding 
uranium-238 with deuterons. Neptunium-238 is made as an intermediate 
product, which then decays to form plutonium-238. Plutonium-238 decays to 
Uranium-234 and then further along the radium series to Lead-206.

"Today, Plutonium 238 is usually prepared by the irradiation of neptunium 
237, a minor actinide produced in nuclear reactors, that can be recovered 
from spent nuclear fuel during reprocessing, or by the irradiation of 
americium in a reactor. In both cases, the targets are subjected to a 
chemical treatment, including dissolution in nitric acid to extract the 
plutonium-238. A 100kg sample of light water reactor fuel that has been 
irradiated for three years contains only about 700 grams of neptunium 237, 
and the neptunium must be extracted selectively.
"The United States currently has limited facilities to produce 
plutonium-238. Since 1993, the U.S. has purchased all of the plutonium-238 
it has used in space probes from Russia. 16.5 kilograms total have been 
purchased.[1]"

Jack



-- 


_____________________________________
                   the Nuclear Resister
                   "a chronicle of hope"
         Jack & Felice Cohen-Joppa, editors
                       P.O. Box 43383
                     Tucson  AZ 85733
              Now 27 years In Print!
        - information about and support for
imprisoned anti-nuclear and anti-war activists -
                phone/fax (520)323-8697
               email:  nukeresister at igc.org
US$15/year/US$20 Canada/US$25 overseas
         - downloadable current and recent issues
           - updated prisoner addresses
             - & archived issues can be read at:
                 http://nuclearresister.org
        * FREE SAMPLE ISSUE ON REQUEST *
(please supply a postal address for samples)
_____________________________________
__._,_.___
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/no-new-nukes-yall/message/2702;_ylc=X3oDMTM1M25pMHZ1BF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzE4MzY2MjQxBGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA0Mzk1NgRtc2dJZAMyNzAyBHNlYwNmdHIEc2xrA3Z0cGMEc3RpbWUDMTIwNTEyMzM2NwR0cGNJZAMyNzAy>Messages 
in this topic (1) 
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/no-new-nukes-yall/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJxOTE4c204BF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzE4MzY2MjQxBGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA0Mzk1NgRtc2dJZAMyNzAyBHNlYwNmdHIEc2xrA3JwbHkEc3RpbWUDMTIwNTEyMzM2Nw--?act=reply&messageNum=2702>Reply 
(via web post) | 
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/no-new-nukes-yall/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJmNjg0ZWlyBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzE4MzY2MjQxBGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA0Mzk1NgRzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNudHBjBHN0aW1lAzEyMDUxMjMzNjc->Start 
a new topic
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/no-new-nukes-yall/messages;_ylc=X3oDMTJmdTVtaHQzBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzE4MzY2MjQxBGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA0Mzk1NgRzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNtc2dzBHN0aW1lAzEyMDUxMjMzNjc->Messages 
| 
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/no-new-nukes-yall/files;_ylc=X3oDMTJnZmw4MjI2BF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzE4MzY2MjQxBGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA0Mzk1NgRzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNmaWxlcwRzdGltZQMxMjA1MTIzMzY3>Files 
| 
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/no-new-nukes-yall/photos;_ylc=X3oDMTJmN3F1NWVvBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzE4MzY2MjQxBGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA0Mzk1NgRzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNwaG90BHN0aW1lAzEyMDUxMjMzNjc->Photos 
| 
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/no-new-nukes-yall/links;_ylc=X3oDMTJnMWRvajNkBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzE4MzY2MjQxBGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA0Mzk1NgRzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNsaW5rcwRzdGltZQMxMjA1MTIzMzY3>Links 
| 
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/no-new-nukes-yall/database;_ylc=X3oDMTJkbXYzaTUzBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzE4MzY2MjQxBGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA0Mzk1NgRzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNkYgRzdGltZQMxMjA1MTIzMzY3>Database 
| 
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/no-new-nukes-yall/polls;_ylc=X3oDMTJnMTA5OGhrBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzE4MzY2MjQxBGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA0Mzk1NgRzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNwb2xscwRzdGltZQMxMjA1MTIzMzY3>Polls 
| 
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/no-new-nukes-yall/members;_ylc=X3oDMTJmNGZmNmttBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzE4MzY2MjQxBGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA0Mzk1NgRzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNtYnJzBHN0aW1lAzEyMDUxMjMzNjc->Members 
| 
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/no-new-nukes-yall/calendar;_ylc=X3oDMTJlZ2RsYnBjBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzE4MzY2MjQxBGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA0Mzk1NgRzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNjYWwEc3RpbWUDMTIwNTEyMzM2Nw-->Calendar 

<http://groups.yahoo.com/;_ylc=X3oDMTJlZG9pYjVqBF9TAzk3NDc2NTkwBGdycElkAzE4MzY2MjQxBGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA0Mzk1NgRzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNnZnAEc3RpbWUDMTIwNTEyMzM2Nw-->
Yahoo! Groups

<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/no-new-nukes-yall/join;_ylc=X3oDMTJnb3VoZnJlBF9TAzk3NDc2NTkwBGdycElkAzE4MzY2MjQxBGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA0Mzk1NgRzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNzdG5ncwRzdGltZQMxMjA1MTIzMzY3>Change 
settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: 
<mailto:no-new-nukes-yall-digest at yahoogroups.com?subject=Email Delivery: 
Digest>Switch delivery to Daily Digest | 
<mailto:no-new-nukes-yall-traditional at yahoogroups.com?subject=Change 
Delivery Format: Traditional>Switch format to Traditional
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/no-new-nukes-yall;_ylc=X3oDMTJla2gyM2N2BF9TAzk3NDc2NTkwBGdycElkAzE4MzY2MjQxBGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA0Mzk1NgRzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNocGYEc3RpbWUDMTIwNTEyMzM2Nw-->Visit 
Your Group | <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/>Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use 
| <mailto:no-new-nukes-yall-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com?subject=>Unsubscribe
Recent Activity
    *  1 
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/no-new-nukes-yall/members;_ylc=X3oDMTJnbm9hNWNjBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzE4MzY2MjQxBGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA0Mzk1NgRzZWMDdnRsBHNsawN2bWJycwRzdGltZQMxMjA1MTIzMzY3>New 
Members
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/no-new-nukes-yall;_ylc=X3oDMTJmYjRnYWl2BF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzE4MzY2MjQxBGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA0Mzk1NgRzZWMDdnRsBHNsawN2Z2hwBHN0aW1lAzEyMDUxMjMzNjc->Visit 
Your Group
Featured Y! Groups

<http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=13ohq8bc5/M=493064.12016306.12445698.8674578/D=groups/S=1705043956:NC/Y=YAHOO/EXP=1205130567/L=/B=PuVMA0Je5tk-/J=1205123367412179/A=4763760/R=0/SIG=11ou7otip/*http://advision.webevents.yahoo.com/bestofyahoogroups/>and 
category pages.

There is something

for everyone.
Y! Messenger

<http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=13ova717f/M=493064.12016274.12445679.8674578/D=groups/S=1705043956:NC/Y=YAHOO/EXP=1205130567/L=/B=P.VMA0Je5tk-/J=1205123367412179/A=3848581/R=0/SIG=11umg3fun/*http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=42403/*http://messenger.yahoo.com>Instant 
hello

Chat in real-time

with your friends.
Moderator Central

<http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=13o72fqeq/M=493064.12016262.12445669.8674578/D=groups/S=1705043956:NC/Y=YAHOO/EXP=1205130567/L=/B=QOVMA0Je5tk-/J=1205123367412179/A=5028928/R=0/SIG=11e3tma2a/*http://new.groups.yahoo.com/moderatorcentral>Get 
answers to

your questions about

running Y! Groups.
.

__,_._,___  
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mail.energyjustice.net/pipermail/nukenet_energyjustice.net/attachments/20080310/3522f573/attachment.html 


More information about the Nukenet mailing list