Re: Plutonium on Next Atlas V - Bad Idea?



Damon Hill wrote:
> "Ed Kyle" <edkyle99@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in news:1124124116.012592.294250
> @o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com:
>
> > The question is shouldn't an Atlas 551 be flown
> > without an RTG payload first, to prove the vehicle?
>
> The RTGs are already proven to survive worst-case
> scenarios. That's what really counts.

They've been proven to survive these scenarios, but
they're not predicted to survive *every* scenario,
which is why the eviro impact report predicts a
1/300 chance of plutonium dispersal.

- Ed Kyle

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