Nuclear-powered passenger aircraft 'to transport millions' says expert

[rockouthippie]

Nuclear-powered aircraft may sound like a concept from Thunderbirds, but they will be transporting millions of passengers around the world later this century, the leader of a Government-funded project to reduce environmental damage from aviation believes.

The consolation of sitting a few yards from a nuclear reactor will be non-stop flights from London to Australia or New Zealand, because the aircraft will no longer need to land to refuel. The flights will also produce no carbon emissions and therefore make no contribution to global warming.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle5024190.ece

Yeah, but what happens if you crash?

[gaekwad2]

The 50s called, they want their pipe-dreams back.

[fc*uk]

If the core is contained in a black box type object with the controlling rods set to drop automatically if ....

oh who the hell am I kidding. You have to fly 33 feet of water, a few feet of sold concrete, cor about six inches of solid lead to stop gamma radiation so all of your passengers don't glow after the flight. That alone makes this impractical.

The 50s called, they want their pipe-dreams back.

[gaekwad2]

Well, the reactors used in ships and submarines are smaller, but still...

[mickel]

Commercial Jet aircraft use a pressurized cabin that maintains
approximately 8,000 ft. This system is not active while
passengers board the aircraft.

Temperature is maintained,also as you lose 3 degrees for
every 1,000 feet of altitude. In Florida one spring morning, I heard
a pilot report from 41000 feet that the temperature outside was 40
degrees below zero

[Warrior of the Light]

I heard Osama ordered a few...



... or dreamt he had


I'm all for nuclear energy but this is crazy.
The 50s are only 39 years from now.