T
he
Intlekele yase-Columbia ye-shuttle yeza kanye njengoko i-NASA yayityhala kakhulu
yandise inkqubo yayo yokusebenzisa amandla enyukliya emajukujukwini. Oku kubandakanya
ukuphuhliswa kwerokethi eqhutywa yenyukliyaโiprojekthi
ukuba iNASA yachitha iibhiliyoni zeerandi kwi-1950 kunye ne-1960 de
yarhoxiswa ngenxa yenkxalabo yokuba loo rocket yenyukliya intlitheka
emhlabeni. Inkqubo entsha yamandla enyukliya, ebizwa ngokuba yiProjekthi Prometheus,
kukwandiswa kwephulo leNASA Nuclear Systems Initiativeโapho
I-1 yeebhiliyoni zeerandi iza kuchithwa kwiminyaka emihlanuโeqale kunyaka ophelileyo.
Ukongeza kwirokethi esebenza ngenyukliya, iNASA iceba ukongeza
iPlutonium-energized space probe kunye nokubeka amandla eathom kwezinye
Ukusetyenziswa kwendawo kuquka ukuphehlelelwa kweeplanethi ezijikelezayo ezinenyukliya
Iinkqubo.
le
NgoMeyi nangoJuni iNASA iceba ukuqalisa iirokethi ezimbini ezivela eFlorida
ezithwele iiroyi eziza kumisa kuMars ezinezifudumezi ezinamandla
nge plutonium. Uthungelwano lweHlabathi oluchasene neZixhobo & naMandla eNyukliya
I-In Space (www.speace4peace.org) iqhube umboniso
ukuqhankqalaza oku kuphehlelelwa.
Ii-NASA's
Ingxelo yeMpembelelo yokusiNgqongileyo kwiMars Exploration Rover-2003
Iprojekthi ithi, "ithuba lilonke lokwenzeka kwengozi"
kuphehlelelo ngalunye โmalunga ne-1 kuma-30โ kunye โnelonke
ithuba layo nayiphi na ingozi ekhupha imathiriyeli ye-radioactive kwi
imekobume imalunga nomntu omnye kwabangama-1.โ Abantu "abangekho kwi
indlela yokwehla umoyaโฆinokuphefumlela imiyinge emincinci yeeradionuclides,โ
itsho ingxelo yeNASA. Indawo ekude kangangeekhilomitha ezingama-60 ukusuka
indawo yokuphehlelelwa inokuchaphazeleka, itsho iNASA.
โAba
kunye nezinye izithonga zeNASA ezibandakanya izixhobo kufuneka zicinywe
emva kwentlekele yaseColumbia kunye neenkqubo zamandla ezikhuselekileyo zendawo
zisetyenziswe endaweni yoko,โ utshilo uBruce Gagnon, umnxibelelanisi we
Global Network.
The
Inyathelo leNuclear Systems lachazwa โnjengento entshaโ
kwiNASA โinkqubo yenzululwazi ngamajukujuku ka-O'Keefe ngobungqina
phambi kweNdlu yeKomiti yaBameli kwiNzululwazi ngoFebruwari ophelileyo.
โInyukliya
I-propulsion ikwandisa kakhulu ukuguquguquka kwemishini, ivumela isayensi entsha
imisebenzi, uphando olunzulu ngakumbi, kunye nokuguquguquka okukhulu
ekufikeleleni nasekujongeni izinto ezikude,โ uxelele ikomiti.
In
kwiiveki ezingaphambi kwentlekele yaseColumbia, u-O'Keefe wayenyathela
ukunyuswa kweenukes esithubeni. โSithetha ngayo
ukwenza into kwishedyuli ndlongo kakhulu ukuba hayi kuphela ukuphuhlisa
amandla okuqhubela phambili kwenyukliya kunye nokuveliswa kwamandla kodwa
ukuba nomsebenzi wokusebenzisa itekhnoloji entsha kule minyaka ilishumi,โ
uxelele i
Los Angeles Times
kaJanuwari 17.
kugqibela
ngenyanga, i-ESA imiselwe ukuphehlelela uphononongo lwendawo yombane welanga ebizwa
IRosetta nawo wonke umbane wayo osebhodini ophuma kwiiseli zelanga
ngerekhodi-phezulu 25 ekhulwini ukusebenza kakuhle. Yayiza kubhabha ngaphaya kweJupiter
Ukuhlangana kunye ne-comet ebizwa ngokuba yi-Wirtanen.
iingxaki
nge-rocket ye-ESA yabangela ukuba i-mission ihlanjululwe. URosetta nguye
ukuba, kuphawula i-ESA, โuthumo lokuqala lwasesithubeni ukuya ngaphaya
ibhanti eliphambili le-asteroid kwaye uthembele kuphela kwiiseli zelanga zamandla
isizukulwana, endaweni yeejenereyitha zokushisa zeradioisotopeโ
(iinkqubo zeplutonium iNASA ithanda ukuphanda indawo yayo). Bekuya kuba njalo
qokelela ukukhanya kwelanga esithubeni. โEmva kwesithuba se-5.3 yeebhiliyoni zeekhilomitha
odyssey, i-Rosetta iya kwenza uqhagamshelwano lokuqala kunye no-Wirtanen malunga ne-675
isigidi seekhilomitha ukusuka elangeni,โ yacacisa iESA. โKulo mgama,
ukukhanya kwelanga kubuthathaka ngokuphindwe ngama-20 kunomhlaba.โ
NASA
inecandelo-yalo i-Photovoltaics kunye ne-Space Environment Branch
ikomkhulu kwiZiko loPhando likaJohn Glenn eClevelandโekuthi,
njenge-ESA, ibisebenza kuphuhliso lwamandla elanga. Pha
Akukho โngqamekoโ okanye kuthintelwa amandla elanga, ngokutsho kwesazinzulu
kwisebe, uGqr. Geoffrey A. Landis, kwiwebhusayithi yayo. โKu
ixesha elide, izixhobo zelanga aziyi kuxhomekeka elangeni.
Siphanda ingqikelelo yokusebenzisa iilaser ukubethelela iifotoni
kuluhlu lwelanga. Ukuba wenza i-laser enamandla-eyaneleyo kwaye unokujolisa
Umtha, ngokwenene akukho mida yelanga.โ
solar
ubugcisa bamandla busetyenziswa ngoku ukuqhubela phambili iziphekepheke. kwiNASA
I-Deep Space 1 probe, eyasungulwa ngo-1998, sisithuba sokuqala sophando
ziqhutywe nge-solar electric propulsion, inkqubo apho
umbane oqokelelwe ngamaphaneli ugxininiswe kwaye usetyenziselwa ukukhawuleza
intshukumo yegumbi lokutyhalela ngaphandle.
Pha
"Iiseyile zelanga" zisebenzisa amasuntswana e-ionized akhutshwayo
ngelanga, elibumba amandla asesibhakabhakeni. IJet Propulsion yeNASA
ILebhu iqwalasela ukusungulwa, ekupheleni kweminyaka elishumi, ye
indawo yokuphanda iPluto usebenzisa iiseyile zelanga okanye umbane welanga
ukuqhubela phambili. Isixhobo sesithuba esineeseyile zelanga ezakhiwe eRashiya
I-International Planetary Society yasungulwa ngo-2001.
In
ngokuchaseneyo, ugxininiso lweNASA oluhlaziyiweyo kumandla enyukliya asemajukujukwini
โAyiyongozi nje kuphela, kodwa ayibobulumko ngokwezopolitiko,โ utshilo
UGqr. Michio Kaku, unjingalwazi wethiyori yefiziksi kwiYunivesithi yesiXeko
yaseNew York. โEkuphela kwento enokubulala inkqubo yase-US
yintlekele yenyukliya. Abantu baseMelika abayi kuyinyamezela iChernobyl
esibhakabhakeni. Oko kuya kuyitshabalalisa inkqubo yendawo. โ
โNASA
ayikasifundi isifundo kwimbali yayo ebandakanya indawo
amandla enyukliya,โ utsho uKaku, โkunye nophawu lwenzululwazi
kukuba ufunda kwiimpazamo zangaphambili. I-NASA ilandela ngokungqongqo
intelekelelo yayo yamandla enyukliya asemajukujukwini. Kufuneka sisindise iNASA ukusuka
ngokwayo.โ Ukhankanya โamanyeโ amandla enyukliya asemajukujukwini.
โEzinye zezi ndlela zinokulibazisa inkqubo yendawo kancinane.
Kodwa iiplanethi aziyi kuhamba. Yintoni ukungxama?
Ndingathanda ukuyiphonononga indawo yonke kancinci kancinci kunokungabikho kwaphela ukuba ikhona
yintlekele yenyukliya.โ
Dr.
URoss McCluney, owayesakuba ngusosayensi weNASA ngoku oyintloko yenzululwazi yophando
eFlorida Solar Energy Centre, uthi ukutyhala kweNASA
ukusetyenziswa kwamandla enyukliya esibhakabhakeni โngumzekelo wombono wetonela,
ukugxila kumxinwa kakhulu kwinto ebonakala ngathi sisisombululo esihle sobunjineli,
kodwa hayi kwimingcipheko yexesha elide yabantu neyendalo kunye
umthetho weziphumo ebezingalindelekanga. Ucinga ukuba nguwe olawulayo
kuyo yonke into kwaye emva koko izinto zenzeke ngaphaya kolawulo lwakho. Ukuba eyakho
Iprojekthi ayinabungozi ngokwendalo, impazamo engalindelekanga inokunyamezela.
Kodwa xa unento ephambili yeprojekthi yakho ngokwemvelo
kuyingozi, ngoko ke imiphumo yokungaphumeleli okungalindelekanga inokuba mikhulu.โ
UJack Dixon,
iminyaka engama-30 injineli ye-aerospace e-US, ithatha ingxaki
abo bachasene namandla enyukliya esithubeni ngokugxeka
โzichanekile ngokwezopolitiko,โ izizathu ezichasene nenyukliya. Ukugxeka kwakhe
ziindlekoโoko akuthethayo yindleko enkulu. Inkqubo yeseyile yelanga
โInokuphunyezwa malunga ne-10% yeendleko zenyukliya kunye
ngokukhawuleza.โ โBubuchwephesha obulula kwaye buphantsi ngokwentelekiso.โ
Kunjalo
ngaphandle kweendleko, iingozi, kunye nokuhambela phambili kobugcisa bamandla elanga
kunye nezinye iindlela ezikhuselekileyo zamandla okusetyenziswa kwindawo, i-NASA yayiza kugxininisa
amandla enyukliya. Imeko ayahlukanga kangako kwindlela uBush
ulawulo belutyhalela โukuvuselelaโ amandla enyukliya
emhlabeni nangona namhlanje kukho indawo ekhuselekileyo, ecocekileyo, yezoqoqosho,
iiteknoloji zamandla ahlaziyekayo. Njengamandla eathom asemhlabeni, isithuba
amandla enyukliya anexesha elidlulileyo eliyingxaki.
kusasa
Iisathelayithi zase-US zinikwe amandla yiplutonium. Inyukliya yokuqala
Isathelayithi yayiyiTransit 4A, isathelayithi yokuqhuba inqanawa eyasungulwa ngoJuni
Ngomhla wama-29, 1961. Yayilixesha apho isibhakabhaka namandla enyukliya zazikho
ibonwa ngabanye njengoko bedibene. Ukuhlola indawo โngomlinganiselo omkhulu
kuxhomekeke kwisiphelo esifanayo sendawo nakwiathom,โ ngaphambili
USenator wase-US u-Albert Gore-umzali wowayesakuba ngusekela-mongameli wase-US-wabhengeza
kwintetho yeSenate ka-1962. Okubalulekileyo, iLebhu yeSizwe ye-Oak Ridge
ikwilizwe likaGore. I-Oak Ridge kunye nenye inyukliya yase-US
iilabhoratri ngoko kwaye ukuza kuthi ga namhlanje ziye zakhuthaza uphuhliso
amandla e-athomu yendawo njengendlela yokwandisa imisebenzi yabo,
ukuzisa umsebenzi omninzi. Gore, ilungu leNdibanisela yeCongress
IKomiti yaMandla eAtom, ithethelele iirokethi ezisebenza ngenyukliya kunye
amandla eathom โkwimisebenzi eyahlukeneyo eyahlukahlukeneyo
endaweniโฆ. Amandla enyukliya abalulekile kubunkokeli esithubeni.โ
kunye
kunye neelebhu zenyukliya zesizwe-zisekwe ngexesha leHlabathi
IMfazwe yesiBini yokwakha ibhombu ye-athomu yeManhattan Project kwaye emva koko yaqhutywa
iKhomishini yaMandla e-Atom, ngoku iSebe lezaMandla-i
iinkampani ezibandakanyekayo ekwakhiweni kwendawo iinkqubo zenyukliya nazo
zisebenze ekukhuthazeni ukusetyenziswa kwazo. I-Transit 4A's plutonium
inkqubo yenziwe nguGeneral Electric.
ngelo xesha
bekukho ingozi embi ebandakanya isathelayithi ene-plutonium.
Ngomhla wama-24 kuTshazimpuzi ngo-1964, i-GE-eyakhelwe iTransit 5BN ngeSNAP-9A (SNAP
kwiiNkqubo zeNyukliya eziNcedisayo) inkqubo esebhodini ayiphumelelanga
i-orbit kwaye yawa esibhakabhakeni, yaqhekeka njengoko yayisitsha
umoya. I-2.1 yeeponti zePlutonium-238 (i-isotope ye-plutonium
Amaxesha angama-280 "ashushu" ngeradioactivity kunePlutonium-239
isetyenziswe kwiibhombu zeathom kunye ne-hydrogen) kwi-SNAP-9A isasazwe ngokubanzi
phezu komhlaba. Uphononongo olunesihloko esithi โUkuZilungiselela okuNgxamisekileyo
IiSathelayithi eziSebenza ngeNyukliyaโ ezenziwa liqela laseYurophu
amaziko okhuselo lwempilo kunye nemitha kamva athi, โa
Inkqubo yesampulu yomhlaba yehlabathi jikelele eyenziwa ngo-1970 yabonisa iSNAP-9A
inkunkuma ekhoyo kuwo onke amazwekazi nakuzo zonke izibanzi.โ
Long
Ukudibanisa ingozi ye-SNAP-9A kunye nokwanda komhlaza wemiphunga
Umhlaba ibe nguGqr. John Gofman, unjingalwazi osele ephumelele kwinzululwazi yezamayeza
kwiYunivesithi yaseCalifornia eBerkeley, owayebandakanyeka
ukwahlula iplutonium kwiProjekthi yeManhattan kwaye yafunyanwa
radioisotopes ezininzi.
The
Ingozi ye-SNAP-9A yabangela ukuba i-NASA ibe nguvulindlela ekuphuhliseni ilanga
iteknoloji yamandla e-photovoltaic. Kumashumi eminyaka akutshanje, zonke iisathelayithi zase-US
banikwe amandla elanga. Kunjalo nakwiSikhululo saMajukujuku saMazwe ngaMazwe.
Kodwa i-NASA yaqhubeka isebenzisa ii-plutonium-powered systems kuthotho
yemishini yokuhlola indawo ebanga amandla elanga ayinakusebenza ngokufanelekileyo
iqokelelwe ngamajukujuku ngaphaya komjikelo weMars.
The
I-ill-fated shuttle i-Challenger yayiza kusungula indawo yeplutonium-fueled
probe kuphulo lwayo olulandelayo olucwangcisiweyo ngo-1986. I-Ulysses space probe,
kunye neekhilogram ezingama-24.2 zamafutha eplutonium, zaziza kukhutshwa kuChallenger,
yakuba ifumene i-orbit kuphando lwelanga.
The
eyona mishini yakutshanje yeNASA yokuhlola isithuba senyukliya ibibizwa ngokuba yiCassini.
Yasungulwa ngowe-1997 ngezibaso zeplutonium ezininziโiikhilogram ezingama-72.3โngaphezu
kuso nasiphi na isixhobo sangaphambili. I-NASA yavuma ingozi yeCassini
ingozi kwi โNgxelo yokuGqibela yeMpembelelo yokuSingqongileyo ye
Cassini Mission." Nangona indawo yayo yayiyiSaturn, eCassini
yayingenawo amandla aneleyo okuyifumana ngqo apho, ngoko ke iNASA yaqulunqa
a โflybyโ okanye โslingshot maneuverโ usebenzisa i
umhlaba. UCassini wayeza kuthunyelwa esuka emajukujukwini ebuyela eMhlabeni
kwaye emva koko, amakhulu ambalwa eemayile ukuphakama, ujikeleze uMhlaba ukuya
thatha isantya esongezelelweyo ukuze siyenze kwiSaturn. I
I-NASA EIS kaCassini yathi kule "flyby" ukuba "ingazi
kwangena kwakhonaโ kwaye uCassini wabuyela emhlabeni, bekuya kuba njalo
Ukuqhekeka kumoya ojikeleze umhlaba oziikhilomitha ezingama-75 ukuphakama (wawungenawo
ikhuselo lobushushu) kunye โneebhiliyoni ezi-5โฆabemi behlabathiโฆ
ifumana ama-99 ekhulwini okanye ngaphezulu kokuvezwa kwemithaโ ukusuka
uthuli lweplutonium olwaluza kunisa. Kwiindawo ezosuleleke kakhulu,
I-NASA yathi izenzo ziya kubandakanya: "Susa kwaye ulahle yonke imifuno,
Susa kwaye ulahle umhlaba ongaphezulu. Zifuduse izilwanyana. Bn yezolimo kwixesha elizayo
ukusetyenziswa komhlaba.โ Kwiindawo ezisezidolophini, โDiliza ezinye okanye
zonke izakhiwo. Bafuduse ngokusisigxina abemi abachaphazelekayo.โ
UGqr. Gofman uqikelele ukwehla komhlaza kwingozi enjalo yaseCassini
njengoko abantu abangama-950,000 bafa. Nangona uCassini wadlula emhlabeni
ngempumelelo kwi-โflybyโ yayo yowe-1999, kwiiveki ezintandathu kamva kwiNASA
IMars Climate Observer, kwindlela edlula kuMars, yantlitheka kuMartian
umoya kunye nokwahlukana. I-NASA ithi le ngxaki yenziwe ngumntu
impazamo-enye yamaqela ayo ibale ukuphakama okucwangcisiweyo kwe
iziphekepheke ezinyaweni, enye ngeemitha, kwaye yeza phantsi kakhulu.
I-US yenyukliya iqhubela phambili
Inkqubo yerokhethi yaqala eLos Alamos National Laboratory ngeminyaka yoo-1950
kunye nokwakhiwa kwe-Kiwi reactor kwinto eyaziwa ngokuba yi-NERVAโ
kwiNjini yeNyukliya yeSitshixo seSithuthi seRocketโinkqubo.
Iiprojekthi zePluto, iRover, iPoodle kunye neOrion ukwakha amandla enyukliya
kwalandela imijukujelwa.
I-Westinghouse
ibingunokontraka ophambili kwezi nzame zerokhethi zenyukliya. Owangaphambili
Umongameli waseWestinghouse, uJohn W. Simpson, wakuvuma oko ngowe-1994
incwadi ngembali yenkampani (
Amandla eNyukliya avela ngaphantsi kweelwandle
ukuya kwiSithuba esingaphandle
) indlela yokufumana izivumelwano zikarhulumente, โkholwa
mna, sakhupha zonke izitophu-kungekhona iinzame zobugcisa kodwa
kwanezentengiso nezopolitiko.โ
umhlaba
iimvavanyo zezixhobo ze-rocket zenyukliya zenziwe. Kodwa akukho nyukliya-propelled
umjukujelwa owakhe wabhabha nangenxa yentlekele enokubakho
ukuba umjukujelwa osebenza ngenyukliya uye wawela emhlabeni, urhulumente uyaphela
inkqubo. Ngoku ngo-2003 siza kuphinda sibuyele kwixesha elidlulileyo.
IGagnon
ithi: โImibuzo enzulu imele ibuzwe: Baya phi
Ukuvavanya i-rocket yenyukliya? Ingaba iza kubiza malini? Yintoni eya kuba
iimpembelelo zengozi yokuqaliswa? Ezi zicwangciso zenyukliya kwisithuba
ziba yingozi kwaye azilawuleki. " Kwakhona, uGagnon ubona
unxibelelwano lomkhosi, oluchaza ukusetyenziswa kwamandla enyukliya esithubeni
njengonyawo elucangweni, ihashe leTrojan, lomkhosi
kwindawo.โ Izixhobo zasemajukujukwini zifunwa ngumkhosiโzisekelwe emajukujukwini
iilaser, i-hyper-velocity gun kunye ne-particle beams-ziya kufuna
izixa ezikhulu zamandla umkhosi obona ngathi uvela ebhodini
iinkqubo zamandla enyukliya, ngoko ke intsebenziswano esondeleyo phakathi kwePentagon
kunye neNASA kwimizamo yenyukliya yasesibhakabhakeni. Wathi uGagnon: โSinjalo
singatsho ukuba akufuneki kubekho inkqubo yendawo. Yiyo
umbuzo wokuba luhlobo luni lwembewu esihamba nayo siye emajukujukwini.โ
Dr.
UDave Webb, owayeyisazinzulu kwinkqubo yaseBritani
kwaye ngoku ungumhlohli oyintloko kwi-United Kingdom's Leeds
Isikolo sobuNjineli kwiDyunivesithi yeMetropolitan, kwaye ikwanjalo
Unobhala weGlobal Network, uthi, โiiprojekthi zeStar Wars ezifana ne
I-Space-based Laser ifuna imithombo ebalulekileyo yamandla kwaye injalo
luncedo kakhulu kurhulumente wase-US ukuba akwazi ukungcwaba ezinye ze
iindleko zomsebenzi wophuhliso 'kwintlalontle' okanye 'ezimbini
sebenzisa iinkqubo.โ
"Ngoba
eMhlabeni,โ ubuza uAlice Slater, umongameli weziko eliseNew York
I-Global Resource Action Centre ye-Environment kunye ne-Global Network
ilungu lebhodi, โngaba nabani na onengqondo ephilileyo angacebisa ukuthatha inyukliya
iityhefu ukuya kwinqanaba elitsha ngokupheleleyo? "
โInyukliya
amandla nokuba asemajukujukwini okanye eMhlabeni lishishini eliyingozi,โ utshilo
Sally Light, umlawuli olawulayo ixesha elide kwi-anti-nuclear Nevada
Amava eNtlango kunye nelungu leBhodi yeHlabathi, "nokuba
emajukujukwini okanye emhlabeni lishishini eliyingozi. Kutheni i-US ngobumfama
ukuqhubela phambili ngembono enokuba yintlekele nephelelwe lixesha?
Kufuneka sisebenzise ubugcisa belanga njengoko bucocekile, bukhuselekile
kwaye kunokwenzeka. โ Ukuzinikela kwezixa-mali ezinkulu kwi
I-Nuclear Systems Initiative, ngoku eyiProjekthi Prometheus, โayinasazela.
Ngaba abantu boMhlaba babenelizwi kule nto? Enye yemigaqo esisiseko
yedemokhrasi kukuba abo bachaphazelekayo banendima ezimiseleyo kuyo
inkqubo yokwenza izigqibo. Thina e-US kunye nabantu kwihlabathi liphela
bajongene nemeko enobungozi, enobungozi obuphezulu benyanzeliswa
thina nakwinzala yethu.โ
Karl
Grossman, unjingalwazi wezobuntatheli kwiDyunivesithi kaRhulumente yaseNew York/Kholeji
eOld Westbury, ngumbhali we
Izinto ezingalunganga: I
Usongelo lweNyukliya lweNkqubo yeSithuba kwiNqwelo-moya yethu
t (Inkalipho eqhelekileyo
Cofa).