Automated metrology system for plutonium-238

Under a collaborative partnership between the NASA and DOE, a new automated measurement system developed ORNL will ensure quality production of plutonium-238 while reducing handling by workers.

NASA has funded ORNL and other national laboratories to develop a process that will restore US production capability of Pu-238 for the first time since the late 1980s when the Savannah River Plant ceased production. ORNL has produced and separated about 100 grams of the material and plans to scale up the process over the next several years to meet demand to power NASA deep space missions.

[christianmalone]

Glad to see that this technology is on the move! I would hate to see NASA hobbled without a source for deep space energy!