Developing Nuclear Power Plant Tech For the Moon and Mars

With his first accepted Slashdot submission, Zandamesh sends this excerpt from ZDNet: "On earth, nuclear reactors are under attack because of concerns over damage caused by natural disasters. In space, however, nuclear technology may get a new lease on life. Plans for the first nuclear power plant for the production of electricity to be used by manned or unmanned bases on the Moon, Mars and other planets have been unveiled at the 242nd National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society. 'The reactor itself may be about 1 ½ feet wide by 2 ½ feet high, about the size of a carry-on suitcase. There are no cooling towers. ... The team is scheduled to build a technology demonstration unit in 2012."

Just wondering...

[Syberz]

There's already quite a bit of radiation in space, couldn't that be somehow harvested to provide power?

Re:Solar Power

[coldfarnorth]

That DOES sound easier than sending suitcase sized devices to places where we actually need power.