Putin Says Russia Now Has Nuclear-Powered Missile

[womanofthehills]

6. AI - "it contaminates flight path"

“- Propulsion Mechanism: It uses a compact nuclear reactor to heat air, which is then expelled through a ramjet engine for thrust. This process superheats incoming air with nuclear fission, producing exhaust that is inherently radioactive. Unlike conventional missiles, which burn chemical fuel without ongoing radiation, the Burevestnik's engine "spews" radioactive particles as a byproduct of operation.
- Historical Evidence from Tests:
- In November 2017, a test missile crashed into the Barents Sea after just 2 minutes of flight, requiring specialized ships (including one for handling radioactive material) to recover debris from the seabed.
- The 2019 Nyonoksa explosion (killing 5 nuclear engineers and 2 service members) involved a nuclear reaction during recovery of a failed Burevestnik prototype, releasing isotopes like strontium-91, strontium-133, and barium-139 into the air. Rosatom confirmed the radiation spike, linked to an "isotope power source" for the engine.
- Strategic Implications: This design allows "unlimited range" and evasion of defenses by flying low and loitering, but it risks contaminating flight paths with fallout. The U.S. abandoned similar concepts (e.g., Project Pluto in the 1950s) due to this environmental hazard.
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