XPost: sci.space.policy, sci.physics   
   From: fjmccall@gmail.com   
      
   jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com wrote:   
      
   >   
   >The smallest nuclear power plant in the US generates 479 MW, so a 50 MW   
   >reactor would be tiny by comparison.   
   >   
      
   But there are lots of reactors much smaller than that.  Some of them   
   were even used in commercial power plants, like the Shippingport   
   Atomic Power Station reactor, which at 60 MW was close to your 50 MW   
   size.  There have been a number of others   
      
   There are many smaller reactors which are not used for commercial   
   power production here on Earth (economies of scale being what they   
   are).   
      
   >   
   >Nuclear power plants generate electricity by boiling water and running   
   >the steam to steam engines.   
   >   
   >Yes, we could not send even a 50 MW plant to Mars as one assembled   
   >piece.   
   >   
      
   Nor would we want to, because we're probably not going to want a steam   
   plant.  Use something more like a space reactor (which is the current   
   plan).   
      
      
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