Bio:
Bruce Behrhorst has written for nuclearspace.com (NS) for 10 years. Director of the non profit web services and consulting company for small businesses in the nuclear industry;
Nuclear Space Technology Institute (NSTI). 

One of the glaring observations I’ve reached since writing and researching for our website Nuclearspace.com (NS) in the past ten years is the steady slide toward apathy in nuclear science education and science in general.

  This inevitability lends itself to all kinds of conclusions most if not all are correct. It begins with flawed metrics, which manifests itself in faulty policy, which in turn does not bode well for healthier nuclear businesses. The U.S. economy suffers as a result from obvious correlations ranging from nuclear medicine, nuclear fuel recycling, new nuclear electric power generation, smart environmental policy, foreign nuclear commercial trade and technical cooperation, nuclear security, space exploration and commercialization advancement. Ultimately discouraging the expectation of youth in particular students (U.S. Dept. of Ed. Stats: graduates in nuclear engineering studies has decreased in recent years) from participating in nuclear science careers.

Lets look at environmental policy.

  Generally oil & coal hydrocarbon fired power plants are the most abundant and have the lion’s share of power plant make up in the U.S. and in the world. Take radical environmentalist’s policy, at face value I couldn’t agree with their Anthropogenic Global Warming story. It’s obvious to me and scientist a lot more skilled at climate studies than I who also take issue with this flawed idea.

The issues need to be delineated here.

  The real issue is not global climate dynamics; it is the production of unmitigated local toxic substances belching from these hydrocarbon power plants. In particular coal with its heavy metal element pollution and open pit mining practice. These pollution issues are the responsibility of tort law and courts without resorting to favorable state or federal government policy and legislation in order to facilitate contractual agreements pitting competitive technical applications to generate electrical power and ancillary industries.
  Other concerns is inefficiency such as the production of large carbon free electrical power baseloading and carbon sequestration by coal fired plants wasting energy effectively pumping CO2 into the ground with no clue what will leak or do chemically once installed in the ground, to date squeezing old oil wells into production with CO2 has not produced palatable financial results. Alternative energy solar, wind, tide, geo baseloading for electrical output is at best a marginal efficient financial business model while critics predictably accuse the nuclear industry of  high start-up costs they never bother to point out lower costs for electrical production to consumer’s electric bills in years #2, #3…and beyond.
  Some critics (Greenpeace) even resort to junk science or create myths [see link] to say, for example, Canadian Nuclear power plants produce radioactive tritium in groundwater and that pregnant mothers should never live near nuclear reactors which has since been proven not credible [see link].
  Even a self described anti-nuclear YouTube video showing hideously deformed humans purportedly to be from the unfortunate and preventable accident (caused by rogue operations manager) in Chernobyl complete with explanations of dubious scientific links from radioactive exposure seems to attract a mindless crowd in a feeding frenzy, chiming into the idea nuclear anything is horribly bad to living souls never stopping to reason.
  Why is it since quarantining this part of the Ukraine animal wildlife is thriving and teaming in the area?  Never realizing nuclear industries are the only ones who have the expertise and knowledge to safely decommission a nuclear reactor power plant and return land back to a nominal configuration. Again, never realizing the link to ionizing radiation and bio-organics in our solar system including humans is still in statistical study because like our planet’s climate, biological creatures like ourselves are resilient. Anti-nuclear critics ignore the benefits of isotope cancer tumor reduction or antimatter treatments and medical tools like the MRI.
 
  The anti-science criticisms continues as long as publicist’s money rolls in. Again, linking bomb fuel with supposed unlicensed unsecured nuclear reactor facilities.
Critics never pass the science to understand that nuclides in nuclear chemical reactions (closing the nuclear cycle) can be manipulated. Recycled fuel can be made to ‘burn’ in modified modular nuclear reactor power plants generating electrical power. Spent reactor fuel from reactor core rods can be made to be ineffective as a bomb fuel source. Nuclear co-generation plants can work with coal and oil to produce products including electrical energy more efficiently. Effectively reducing the need to build large geological repositories storing ionizing radioactive material with half-life of hundreds or thousands of years. And yes, all under security guards no different than any other high value site.

  One need not go far from the fruit tree to pick fruit. U.S. foreign policy and nuke WMD’s selling an expansionist interventionism the ‘vehicle’ being the United States as world prosecutor. Telling the world friend or foe how, when and whom any nation can process uranium within its own facilities and borders. For the U.S. State Department maintaining such a policy (ITAR) has hobbled the U.S. nuclear and aerospace industries effectively poisoning a business climate that at one time under the Commerce Department and the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) flourished cultivating more business activity in these fields. Even with the Obama Administration pledging to reform ITAR like his predecessors in government have done little and is still entrenched in closing down foreign cooperation. It makes domestic nuclear and aerospace companies suffer at a time least beneficial under the economic circumstances. I think citizens are beginning to awake up to sacrifices people have had to endure to support the American empire that seems confusing to many Americans day-to-day lives. Military spending is at the highest level in the world required to maintain and supply an interventionist policy involved in 191 countries worldwide.

If only more resources went to peaceful projects like space investments. But that’s wishful thinking.

  The 2010 congress is likely to reduce expenditures rather than increase given the massive deficit accumulated in 2009.
NASA is a tiny part of the overall federal budget (just over half a percent in FY 2010) and increasing its budget, by $1 billion or even $3 billion, does little to budget deficits hundreds of times larger. (Likewise, cutting NASA alone doesn’t do much for deficit relief.) However, if Congress does get serious in 2010 about deficit reduction, any program that’s proposed to get an increase is likely going to come under special scrutiny. The picture looks bleak for any public or private proactive space program especially one based on the nuclear rocket engine.
  Imagine the possibilities here if serious interest in research and development of the nuclear rocket were to surface again since the last great advancement took place on the NERVA-ROVER project in the deserts of Nevada in the 1970’s.

  James Dewar with Robert Bussard in the book, “The Nuclear Rocket” argue convincingly, the use of nuclear rocket engines would revolutionize societies making our planet green, more peaceful and prosperous. This technology would open up space essentially democratize space allowing greater participation and access to space and destinations which in turn gives rise to a host of new industries in support of a grand shift in global and solar system development. Some even refer to a profound change in the way humans conduct culture and global economics. No longer would current space programs rely on limited chemical rocketry technology rationing access for only the elite few who pay the excessive price tag or carry political & scientific influence to gain access. Essentially space would be open to all willing to contribute the energy in the Fraternal Space Regime (FSR).

  In the first critical step there are two choices, the United States could go at it alone (the United States and its industries) or open it up to other countries and their firms. I would rather spread the risks out to ease the burden in development and use to a single nation. This also helps keep members more engaged in an endeavor that promises prosperity for most ; than one culturing distrust based on war and destruction. Human colonization of our solar system beyond earth can provide an alternative human habitat that ultimately survives a species ending event on planet earth, and it would effectively provide a commodities boost especially rare elements or a possibility of life forms (foods) that provide cures to human ailments. And of course, new sources for mining and production of precious metals gold, silver or the disposal of harmful pollutants by incineration from the intense heat of our sun.
 
  First, the necessary situations must commence with the announcement by the U.S. Congress it is breaking the taboo on use of nuclear rockets to provide for free launches, a solar system transportation plan, the plutonium and toxic materials disposition regimes, zones & charters, a space industry. The Democratization of Space Act would initiate a beginning. Second, experts from government and industry would assemble overseas to inform foreign governments their space agencies, industry and people of changes. This would create a new international regime aimed at colonizing the solar system rather than the wasteful expensive and unproductive Climate Change global initiatives that presently characterize large assemblies which in essence are punitive to global production.
Major treaties would have to change including the Outer Space treaty (OST) it would need to change to reflect the update in technological change for peaceful use of nuclear science in space. Historically the Apollo mission took place when the U.S. had a currency linked to gold's value and as a robust manufacturer, with a favorable ratio of exports-to-imports and its employed citizens had savings accounts that grew.

Quite the opposite exists today.

  Here I borrow the worn phrase, ‘Renewable Sustainable Development’. Politically this phrase is frequently associated with the environmental industry and its supporters. Rarely is it associated more broadly to include other industry and sciences that offer energy services.

  Space development is inherently tied to economic performance and its recovery can only be arrived at when regulation is tempered with assisting stability and the predictability of fair risk management and when nations subscribe to the maxim: Free trade for those who trade freely, frequently and fair.

  Make no mistake; economic prosperity is interlinked with space advancement and achievement for those that contribute as a true space faring nation.

  So, in closing let me offer up a remedy to the current political and policy foibles that afflict the United States and its steadfast Constitution. We shouldn’t wait for Republican & Democrat party political hacks to engineer the downfall of the United States. We should open the political discourse to other parties and vote for them for new vistas on life, liberty and stable prosperity.