Nuclear Powered Aircraft

areksnumbr1sxylady

areksnumbr1sxylady

areksnumbr1sxylady

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I just had a little think :eek: (shocking)

Why are there no Nuclear Powered jets/aircraft in service today? I had a quick read and apparently both USSR/USA had programs in this field in early 60`s.

Surprisingly they worked fine and casings of reactors was done well enough to keep crew safe from radiation.

However, with introduction of ICBM there was no more need in such project and they got cancelled on both sides.

We see plenty of submarines/ships with reactors on them today and they are considered to be safe for the crew, so why dont we see this technology implemented in modern aircraft? I mean something the size of A380 or An-225 can easily carry a nuclear reactor on board....

I dont really know how the process take place which converts power from nuclear reactor into "flying" power.

But as I understand, what stops using nuclear reactor to heat air or other substance and then sending it into the jet turbine, causing same process taking place as if you threw fuel at it.

Surely with decent nuclear reactor, we should be able to even make A-380 super sonic. (would obviously need tweaking with aerodynamics)

Then there is also possibility of Nuclear Fusion somewhere in the future, you can get crazy temperatures from that process.

So what you think, nuclear powered aircraft.... possible or not?
 
Nuclear power is just a fancy steam turbine system in most applications today.

I havent seen any steam powered planes lately, have you ;)

Plus, just think of the health and safety that would be involved, what happens when a nuclear plane crashes?
 
areksnumbr1sxylady said:
But that was 60`s, half a century on... hasnt anything changed?

About cooling, isnt air on high altitude very cold? Cant that be used for cooling?
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Are you suggesting they concoct some kind of Open Air Nuclear Reactor ?:D

Anyhow it isn't economically viable as they can keep planes up in the air indefinatley as they don't need to land in order to refuel as long as they have enough crew and supplies etc.
 
Sure i saw a documentary on these and the Russians flew one. The septic tanks couldn't work out how they got the weight down but it turned out they just removed all the shielding and killed the crew.

edit- must be history channel lies, nothing on google
 
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malfunkshun said:
It was earlier than the Sixties, surely. Early Fifties or maybe late Forties. Safety would prevent it now.
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But there are nuclear-powered subs, I havent had time to research dimensions but am sure something as huse as A380 shouldn't be far off nuclear subs.

It is considered to be safe, maybe because if it crashes it will just kill fish? :D
 
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