[flangola7]

>Nuclear airplanes

I zealously shill the values of nuclear power 7 days a week, but unless we discover a physics revelation nuclear airplanes are a horrible concept.

There are no forms of nuclear power production existing or theoretical which don't involve health-hazardous amounts of radioactive material. Even hydrogen fusion reactors activate the housing walls with neutrons. Miracle on the Hudson would have been much less miraculous if it meant terabecquerels of activity floating downstream.

[mirko22]

As far as I know, in the 50ies the molten salt reactors where researched exactly with long range airplanes in mind.

My point is that for decades we didn’t invest enough into nuclear research in fear of nuclear weapons that all we are doing now is trying to put a band aid on the severed hand.

But maybe I just read too much Assimov…