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Wouldn't kilopower (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilopower) be an alternative? It used U-235.


I wonder how long that reactor would provide useful energy. U-235 has a half life of 700 million years. If it were to last that long, they'd be dealing with thermonuclear Long Now-type problems.


The Kilopower reactor uses a chain reaction to trigger fission so the U-235 will be depleted much faster than the half-life. Wikipedia says its operational life is 12-15 years.




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