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A year in orbit: ISS deployment tests radiation detectors for future space missions
The predawn darkness on a cool Florida night was shattered by the ignition of nine Merlin engines on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The thrust of the engines shook the ground miles away. From a distance, the rocket appeared to slowly rise above the horizon. For the cargo onboard, the launch was anything but gentle, as the ignition of liquid oxygen generated more than 1.5 million pounds of force. After the rocket had been out of sight for several minutes, the booster dramatically returned to Earth with several sonic booms in a captivating show of engineering designed to make space travel less expensive and more sustainable.
Michal Cibula, Marco Pellegrini, Masato Mizokami, Shinya Mizokami
Nuclear Technology | Volume 211 | Number 3 | March 2025 | Pages 513-530
Research Article | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2024.2339578
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent tsunami that struck the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station gave ground to a set of events that resulted in an unprecedented severe accident occurring simultaneously in multiple reactors of one nuclear power station and significant release of radioactive materials into the environment. Following these events, Tokyo Electric Power Company in cooperation with domestic and international partners has made continuous efforts to clarify in detail the progression of the accident utilizing both analytical tools and robotic inspections of the damaged units. Recently, multiple inspections utilizing submersible remotely operated vehicles were conducted between December 2022 and March 2023, including the first entry into the pedestal area below the damaged reactor pressure vessel of Unit 1. This paper discusses the findings of these inspections in light of the evolving understanding of the accident scenario, leveraging insights gained through experimental and analytical studies on ex-vessel severe accident phenomena. The outcomes of these investigations have yielded new knowledge and highlighted existing gaps in our understanding. The identified knowledge gaps provide direction for future studies, ultimately advancing the level of nuclear safety.