Daily Archives: 11th May

Nuclear Powered X

Where X equals…

Icebreaker

nuclear-icebreaker

The 50 Years Anniversary of Victory is a Russian nuclear powered icebreaking ship, the largest icebreaker in the world.

Lighthouse

nuclear-lighthouse

In the Arctic Ocean and along the remote Kola Peninsula there are at least 130 Russian lighthouses powered by radioisotope thermoelectric generators, fueled by radioactive strontium-90.

Aeroplane

nuclear-aeroplane

The Tupolev-119 was a modified Tupolev-95 bomber with two regular engines and two experimental engines powered by a nuclear reactor in the bomb bay. The bulge created by the enlarged fuselage is clearly visible in the photograph above.

Pacemaker

nuclear-pacemaker

Because pacemakers require surgery to implant it’s a good idea to make the batteries last a long time. The Medtronic 9000 was powered by a radioisotope thermoelectric generator that used a tiny plutonium-238 source and at least one nuclear powered pacemaker is still running 34 years later.