# Plutonium for "Secret Missions?" What the hell? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 27, 2005, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plutonium-for-secret-missions-what-the-hell/310037 "2005-06-27T13:45:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2005, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plutonium-for-secret-missions-what-the-hell/310037/1 "2005-06-27T13:45:11Z")
[What is this all about?](http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/ns/news/story.jsp?idq=/ff/story/0002%2F20050627%2F0158956425.htm&photoid=20050624DCGH105&floc=NW_1-T) On top of everything else, they have to lay this on us? I didn’t think it could ever happen, but the needle on my distrust-o-meter just broke after I read this. What the fuck “secret missions” are they planning on using this Plutonium for? Am I justified in being made more than a tad uneasy by this? ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2005, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plutonium-for-secret-missions-what-the-hell/310037/2 "2005-06-27T13:50:05Z")
A 1.5 billion price tag for some espionage gear seems a bit steep–but other than that I can’t say I have any issue. Spooks are spooky: That’s why they’re called spooks. ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2005, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plutonium-for-secret-missions-what-the-hell/310037/3 "2005-06-27T14:25:02Z")
Plutonium-238 is used as a power source. It isn’t used in nuclear weapons. I don’t see anything in this story to get worked up about. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2005, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plutonium-for-secret-missions-what-the-hell/310037/4 "2005-06-27T14:28:50Z")
'Secret Missions?" Since when is any kind of energy production referred to as a “mission?” And why would it be “secret?” ---
**Author:** ![matt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@matt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2005, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plutonium-for-secret-missions-what-the-hell/310037/5 "2005-06-27T14:35:13Z")
It’s not for large scale power generation, but for small electrical devices powered by the decay heat of the element. Used to be used to power pacemakers as well. I could see it being used to power bugging devices and the like. Although they’d be kind of easy to track down with a geiger counter… ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2005, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plutonium-for-secret-missions-what-the-hell/310037/6 "2005-06-27T14:38:23Z")
> [@Argent Towers](#): > > 'Secret Missions?" > > Since when is any kind of energy production referred to as a “mission?” And why would it be “secret?” Take it easy. It will be used to power secret espionage devices on secret espionage missions. It’s secret because the government isn’t in the habit of telling other countries “Okay, we’re going to spy on you now.” ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2005, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plutonium-for-secret-missions-what-the-hell/310037/7 "2005-06-27T14:41:58Z")
They’re producing the plutonium _for_ missions; producing it isn’t a mission, nor is it secret (obviously.) The espionage missions that it will be used for is of course secret–otherwise it wouldn’t be spying. So pretty much, they are talking about making things like James Bond’s do-everything watch. This would be the battery for that. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2005, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plutonium-for-secret-missions-what-the-hell/310037/8 "2005-06-27T14:48:42Z")
Oh. Hey, this is kind of cool! ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2005, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plutonium-for-secret-missions-what-the-hell/310037/9 "2005-06-27T14:53:19Z")
> [@Absolute](#): > > I don’t see anything in this story to get worked up about. There might be a bit of a stink when one of our nuclear powered predator drones crashes in Nok Kundi, and renders the city center unihabitable. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2005, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plutonium-for-secret-missions-what-the-hell/310037/10 "2005-06-27T15:32:54Z")
> [@Absolute](#): > > Take it easy. It will be used to power secret espionage devices on secret espionage missions. It’s secret because the government isn’t in the habit of telling other countries “Okay, we’re going to spy on you now.” On the other hand I can’t believe they let the story get presented this way. ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2005, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plutonium-for-secret-missions-what-the-hell/310037/11 "2005-06-27T15:35:06Z")
Spy satellite engines, etc. RTGs are a common power source for deep-space probes. I like the nuclear powered drone idea, too. Clever. All in all, nothing too astonishing here. And really, is the stink from the crash of a few kilograms of Pu-238 going to be any worse than our having dumped tons and tons of depleted Uranium on Iraq? ---
**Author:** ![Phnord\_Prephect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/df705f/32.png) [@Phnord\_Prephect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phnord_Prephect)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2005, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plutonium-for-secret-missions-what-the-hell/310037/12 "2005-06-27T15:47:51Z")
> [@matt](#): > > …they’d be kind of easy to track down with a geiger counter… Or an infrared camera/heat detector. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2005, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plutonium-for-secret-missions-what-the-hell/310037/13 "2005-06-27T18:09:14Z")
The Russians had some navigation beacons for aircraft that were nuclear powered. Maybe it’s to guide [submarines.](http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/01/10/nuclear.submarine.update/) ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2005, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plutonium-for-secret-missions-what-the-hell/310037/14 "2005-06-27T21:42:37Z")
Orbital. Spy sats. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2005, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plutonium-for-secret-missions-what-the-hell/310037/15 "2005-06-27T21:52:33Z")
[Mr. McClellan Speaks:](http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/06/20050627-3.html) > [@](#): > > Q I’ve got a quick one. There was a report today that the administration is supporting plutonium production. Is this correct, and is that true? > > MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, let me give you an update on that. I’m glad you brought that up. First of all, this is a matter under the jurisdiction of the Department of Energy, and the plutonium that we’re talking is not – is non-weapons-grade plutonium. The Department of Energy is responsible for producing significant heat and electricity power systems that would require no maintenance in places like deep space. And plutonium-238, which we’re talking about, is the substance that makes that feasible. Such power systems are used in support of deep space exploration missions and certain national security applications. But, again, we’re not talking about any weapons-grade plutonium. > > And I think the Department of Energy can probably talk to you more about why we need to produce it. > > Q Speaking of that, how’s the Mars project coming along? (Laughter.) > > Q Thank you. > > MR. McCLELLAN: Thank you all. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Bear\_Brian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Ice\_Bear\_Brian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Bear_Brian)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2005, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plutonium-for-secret-missions-what-the-hell/310037/16 "2005-06-28T07:35:49Z")
> [@Absolute](#): > > Plutonium-238 is used as a power source. It isn’t used in nuclear weapons. > > I don’t see anything in this story to get worked up about. Maybe 50,000 drums of radioactive waste? ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2005, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plutonium-for-secret-missions-what-the-hell/310037/17 "2005-06-28T09:48:20Z")
The kind of secret missions this plutonium might be used for seems obvious to me. It’s for smoking out terrorists. Osama bin Laden would love to get his hands on some plutonium so the US is trying to lure him with some “fake” plutonium that looks real to unsophisticated equipment. If you want to read a fictional account of how this could play out, try Fredrick Forsythe’s excellent novel [Avenger](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0312319517/qid=1119952840/sr=8-6/ref=pd_bbs_6/103-4070807-0479867?v=glance&s=books&n=507846). ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2005, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plutonium-for-secret-missions-what-the-hell/310037/18 "2005-06-28T12:11:47Z")
> [@DWMarch](#): > > The kind of secret missions this plutonium might be used for seems obvious to me. It’s for smoking out terrorists. Nah, it will be used to power some of these [devices](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064148/#comment) when we release the prisons at Guantanimo. Any that approach Osama Bin Laden can be used to blow him up.