A nuclear waste deposite in space - The ultimate solution for low-cost and safe disposal
- Paper ID
1979-A-15
- author
- company
Technische Universität München Luft-und Raumfahrt
- country
Federal Republic of Germany
- year
1979
- abstract
The disposal of nuclear high active waste (HAW) is representative for the problem of burdening the environment with highly active or toxic waste products at the present and in the future. Safe disposal methods on Earth are technically very difficult to achieve and the costs of establishment and maintenance of such plants are extremely high. Furthermore the emotionally based rejection by a wide sector of the population gives sufficient reason to look for new solutions. Here, space technology can offer a real alternative - a waste deposit in space. With the Space Transportation System, which will soon be operative, and the resulting high flight frequencies it will be possible to transport all future HAW into space at economical costs. By proper casing of the HAW and limitation to small amounts per flight a very high safety factor can be guaranteed. Four major mission concepts based on present technology are evaluated: The direct transfer to the sun with the waste material destroyed there; transport outside the solar system; establishing a lunar waste deposit with possible control and maintenance by a small manned lunar station;transport to a high earth orbit and storage within a large space structure with the possibility of regaining the nuclear material in the distant future. Technological aspects and safety requirements of all four options are discussed and the costs are compared with disposal methods on Earth.