Re: Plutonium on Next Atlas V - Bad Idea?

On 15 Aug 2005 06:51:17 -0700, "Ed Kyle" <edkyle99@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

>Cardman wrote:
>> Yes, but not that much. Due to past launches the public now sees that
>> there is little risk here.
>
>I suspect the "public" who live near the Cape
>wouldn't agree with the "little risk" bit. They
>remember quite clearly Titan 4A-20, Delta 241,
>and Delta 259, all of which blew up within
>eye and ear shot of the Cape during the past eight
>years.

So what are they going to do?

Watch this launch, while licking their lips, eagerly wanting this
rocket to explode. And should it really do so, they will all rush out
of their houses, race to be the first to get to these RTGs, crack them
open, and then to quickly feast themselves on the plutonium contents?

The officials can then try beating them back with sticks. :-]

My point is that paranoia always works wonders to turn a small problem
into a seemingly much large one.

And if someone did find an RTG by accident, and to carry it all the
way to their local police station, then I doubt that their radiation
exposure would be very much anyway. Not the best idea to hide it under
their bed though.

The point is that they should just keep away from these RTGs, when
longer term exposure would be unhealthy. And you can be certain enough
that if this launch did go bang, then the first thing that these
official would do would be to secure these RTGs.

Cardman.
.

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