Nuclear-Powered Spacecraft Is Proposed for Voyage to Jupiter Moons

Why must JIMO be nuclear? What's wrong with hydrogen fuel cells?
Alternatively, why not strap together 10 deep space ones and use the same
light collectors?
"Tony Sivori" wrote in message
news
And are you ready for this - it would be called the JIMO! :-)

The craft would be a radical departure in that it will be equipped with a
nuclear reactor, instead of nuclear batteries. Power output would be about
1000 times higher than the nuclear battery method.

This opens exciting new possibilities for both power hungry sensors like
ground penetrating radar, and the unprecedented possibility of orbiting
one moon and then moving to another of Jupiter's moons at will (orbital
mechanics permitting, of course). The reactor will power an ion drive that
would be about 10 times more powerful than Deep Space One's drive.

Full article at NY Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/16/sc...UPI.html?8hpib

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Tony Sivori