We all get in airplanes and fly around knowing that it takes just one catastrophic failure for 300 people to end up plunging into the ground at 500 mph, yet we still do it.
So, nothing is risk free. My money is on spending more on research to make fission safer, cleaner and more easily decommissioned.
(I'm sure if we bunged the South Africans a few million they'd be happy to store radioactive waste at the bottom of one of their disused mine shafts 7000 feet down with 10 ft of concrete over it.
So, nothing is risk free. My money is on spending more on research to make fission safer, cleaner and more easily decommissioned.
(I'm sure if we bunged the South Africans a few million they'd be happy to store radioactive waste at the bottom of one of their disused mine shafts 7000 feet down with 10 ft of concrete over it.
Not me!
You won't catch me in a flying cigar tube with its bum on fire!
Its called managing pension funds costs.
If you could be assured that there would be no accidents, sending it on a one way trip to the sun might be ideal. I don’t think anybody there would mind a little bit of radiation. Nearest black hole is probably a bit too far away to be practical as a disposal site.
Airbus says we already have the technology to fly airliners with no pilots.
The majority of flight tasks are currently undertaken by in-flight computers - 'fly-by-wire'.
However, pilotless airliners may be a distant prospect because of the problem of convincing people people to get on them.
It's reassuring to hear the voice of the pilot before take off. Let's hope it is not a pre-recorded message!
Our PM seems to share Norway's plan for a fleet of electric planes! How's that going?
Norway'''s plan for a fleet of electric planes - BBC Future
The majority of flight tasks are currently undertaken by in-flight computers - 'fly-by-wire'.
However, pilotless airliners may be a distant prospect because of the problem of convincing people people to get on them.
It's reassuring to hear the voice of the pilot before take off. Let's hope it is not a pre-recorded message!
Our PM seems to share Norway's plan for a fleet of electric planes! How's that going?
Norway'''s plan for a fleet of electric planes - BBC Future
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Unfortunately, the energy required to fire all our nuclear waste into the Sun would be enormous.
The Earth is traveling at around 67,000 miles per hour sideways relative to the Sun. The only way to get to the Sun is to cancel that sideways motion.
It actually takes 55 times more energy to go to the Sun than it does to go to Mars.
How is it powered ?
What is the power supply ?
Solar cells convert sunlight directly into electricity using photovoltaic materials.
Batteries which use a chemical reaction to generate electricity which is reversed when recharged.
Fuel cells consume fuel and an oxidizer in a chemical reaction to generate electricity, they need to be refueled, typically with hydrogen.
Ultracapacitors are a battery/capacitor hybrid that releases stored energy in an electro-chemical reaction, and can be recharged quickly.
Microwave energy that is beamed from a remote transmitter.
Power cables connected to a ground-based electrical supply.
We could always drop it off on Venus. Don’t see us doing anything permanent on the surface there anytime soon.
(Interesting one about going to the Sun - was a big challenge for the Parker probe).
Good questions!
If you read the link, you'll see that batteries are mentioned.
However, that throws up even more questions!
The big challenge will be trying to generate the 5 MW of power that would be needed for a plane carrying 100 passengers!
I did not read the link because the site asks me for permissions.Good questions!
If you read the link, you'll see that batteries are mentioned.
However, that throws up even more questions!
The big challenge will be trying to generate the 5 MW of power that would be needed for a plane carrying 100 passengers!
I guess it is at nausea the ecologists brain washing jazz and telling that the propellers are driven by electric motors.
Batteries are damn heavy for aviation.
I cannot imagine a serious plane driven on batteries.
Are they calculations and results about range and payload.
Nor can I.
Prototypes of two and four seaters are a long way from serious airliners.
Currently, there are around 100 electric aircraft projects underway around the world. Electric propulsion is finally on the map | Roland Berger
Urban Air Taxis represent around 45% of the developments - see attachment.
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Very interesting discussion. I have learnt lots about the sheer difficulty of reversing climate change and reducing pollution.
It would be good to have electric aircraft, IMO. If you remember the lockdown last year, the skies were clear and blue for months of summer, as they were in the US after 911. And the streets were quiet and the air good. You could hear the birds.
But people are in love with everything that is bad fr the Planet. The government has made huge mistakes historically, The dash for gas, encouraging diesels and Lambretta scooters in London. Reducing tax breaks on small efficient cars.
Charging for disposal of waste. I was curious why one industrial site I worked at was endlessly being fly-tipped with rubbish and refrigerator motors. Turns out it costs £15 to extract the Freon from an old fridge. Cheaper to cut the motor off and fly-tip it!
Oh well. I like low-tech solutions like home insulation and painting roofs white.
Interesting bit of astronomy I found this week. Pluto should be re-upgraded to full Planet status according to one Boffin:
Pluto really is a planet (probably): The meaning of the first close-up photos |
It would be good to have electric aircraft, IMO. If you remember the lockdown last year, the skies were clear and blue for months of summer, as they were in the US after 911. And the streets were quiet and the air good. You could hear the birds.
But people are in love with everything that is bad fr the Planet. The government has made huge mistakes historically, The dash for gas, encouraging diesels and Lambretta scooters in London. Reducing tax breaks on small efficient cars.
Charging for disposal of waste. I was curious why one industrial site I worked at was endlessly being fly-tipped with rubbish and refrigerator motors. Turns out it costs £15 to extract the Freon from an old fridge. Cheaper to cut the motor off and fly-tip it!
Oh well. I like low-tech solutions like home insulation and painting roofs white.
Interesting bit of astronomy I found this week. Pluto should be re-upgraded to full Planet status according to one Boffin:
Pluto really is a planet (probably): The meaning of the first close-up photos |
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