{"id":522354,"date":"2022-12-07T01:42:56","date_gmt":"2022-12-06T22:42:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/scientists-are-using-nuclear-waste-to-make-space-batteries\/"},"modified":"2022-12-07T01:42:56","modified_gmt":"2022-12-06T22:42:56","slug":"scientists-are-using-nuclear-waste-to-make-space-batteries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/scientists-are-using-nuclear-waste-to-make-space-batteries\/","title":{"rendered":"#Scientists are using nuclear waste to make space batteries"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_89 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6aec78de6e8be\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6aec78de6e8be\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/scientists-are-using-nuclear-waste-to-make-space-batteries\/#%E2%80%9CScientists_are_using_nuclear_waste_to_make_space_batteries%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Scientists are using nuclear waste to make space batteries&#8221;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/scientists-are-using-nuclear-waste-to-make-space-batteries\/#Greetings_humanoids\" >Greetings, humanoids<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CScientists_are_using_nuclear_waste_to_make_space_batteries%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;Scientists are using nuclear waste to make space batteries&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div id=\"article-main-content\">\n                            Ministers at the European Space Agency (ESA) recently <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>roved funding for a special project to build nuclear waste-powered batteries for use in space exploration. If successful, the new tech would make it possible to conduct operations in areas where access to solar energy is degraded or absent, such as on the dark side of the moon.<\/p>\n<p>Researchers working with the ESA believe they can use americium, a radioactive element derived from plutonium decay, to generate sufficient heat to both warm equipment and generate electricity to power functionality. This would represent the first time americium has been used in this manner, but the innovation comes at a necessary time for the European space program.<\/p>\n<p>Current batteries rely on plutonium-238, an element that\u2019s challenging and expensive to produce. The US and Russia house the lion\u2019s share of the world\u2019s supply and, unfortunately, NASA barely has enough to power its own ambitions. The only option, at this point, is for the ESA to find an alternative.<\/p>\n<div class=\"inarticle-wrapper neural channel-cta hs-embed-tnw\">\n<div id=\"hs-embed-tnw\" class=\"channel-cta-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"channel-cta-img\"><img class=\"js-lazy\" https:=\"\"\/><\/div>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/news\/src=\" https:=\"\"\/><\/noscript><\/p>\n<div class=\"channel-cta-input\">\n<h2 class=\"channel-cta-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Greetings_humanoids\"><\/span>Greetings, humanoids<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"channel-cta-tagline\">Subscribe to our <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">news<\/a>letter now for a weekly recap of our favorite AI stories in your inbox.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>To that end, the ESA has earmarked 29 million Euros for the development of an americium battery. According to researchers, the element is both easier and less expensive to produce. Unfortunately, it also yields less potential energy than plutonium-238, but scientists believe the tradeoffs will work out in the ESA\u2019s favor.<\/p>\n<p>Plutonium-238 is created through a two-stage process that involves irradiating neptunium-237 in a special reactor. It\u2019s much cheaper to develop americium, as it\u2019s derived from the plutonium that\u2019s used in the kinds of nuclear reactors used in\u00a0civil power plants. Due to its relative abundance, it costs about one fifth the price to produce an individual watt of power using americium versus plutonium-238.<\/p>\n<p>What this all boils down to, for Europe\u2019s space program, is the freedom to conduct operations without dependence on US or Russian fuel sources. As ESA advisory committee chair Athena Coustenis told recently<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/d41586-022-04247-6\"> told Nature<\/a>, \u201cThe current political situation demonstrates that you cannot always rely on partners.\u201d This is, of course, a reference to the agency\u2019s previous reliance on Russian plutonium.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the green light from the ESA and the current body of research on americium, this project represents the first time it\u2019ll be used as a power source in this type of battery. Scientists expect there are still some kinks to work out before we use Europe\u2019s stock of americium-laden nuclear waste to light up the dark side of the moon and other shadowy areas of outer space.<\/p>\n<p>The current expectation is that ESA rockets will carry americium battery <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"Technology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">technology<\/a> \u201cby the end of the decade.\u201d Over the next three years, however, the ESA\u2019s testing team will develop special prototypes for use in spacelike environments here on Earth.<\/p>\n<p>Once perfected, the new battery technology should allow ESA astronauts and scientists to conduct solo missions \u2014 that is, space studies without the necessary aid of non-European research partners such as the US or Russia. It should also save the agency some money long term, which could potentially be reinvested in the space program.<\/p>\n<p>This should be a win-win for Europeans interested in the great beyond, but ESA engineers still have the problem of maintaining the integrity of the radioactive substances and the safety of the crew who\u2019ll be handling the batteries and operating the equipment they\u2019re used in.<\/p>\n<p>They can\u2019t simply repurpose the old containers, as it takes more americium to produce the required energy than plutonium. To that end, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/d41586-022-04247-6\">according to Nature<\/a>, the ESA is developing specialized containers capable of emitting the heat generated by americium, but none of its radioactivity.<\/p>\n<p>There are no guarantees in <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/sciencee\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"5\" title=\"Science\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">science<\/a>, but based on the previous research, this seems like good news for Europe\u2019s ambitions to bring its own space program in line with NASA\u2019s.\n                        <\/p><\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/news\/european-scientists-developing-nuclear-waste-batteries-for-use-in-spacecraft\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Scientists are using nuclear waste to make space batteries&#8221; Ministers at the European Space Agency (ESA) recently approved funding for a special project to build nuclear waste-powered batteries for use in space exploration. If successful, the new tech would make it possible to conduct operations in areas where access to solar energy is degraded or&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":522355,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/img-cdn.tnwcdn.com\/image\/neural?filter_last=1&fit=1280,640&url=https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/12\/esanuclear.jpg&signature=8cd65fabf7d68d49addf66729d59be62","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-522354","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/522354","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=522354"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/522354\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/522355"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=522354"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=522354"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=522354"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}