From strength to strength. Long live Pakistan! :jhanda:
Pakistan Appears to be Building a Third Plutonium Production Reactor at Khushab Nuclear Site
Commercial satellite imagery from DigitalGlobe taken on June 3, 2007 indicates that Pakistan appears to be building a third plutonium production reactor at the Khushab nuclear site (see Figure 1). On July 24, 2006, ISIS published imagery revealing the construction of a second heavy water reactor at Khushab. The second heavy water reactor, which Pakistan began building between 2000 and 2002, is still under construction in the June 3, 2007 imagery. When operational, this reactor could be as large as several hundred megawatts thermal, notwithstanding claims by Pakistan of its intended initial power capacity. The third reactor appears to be a replica of the second heavy water reactor and is located a few hundred meters to the north, though construction is progressing much more quickly than the second. A GeoEye image of the same area in Khushab taken in August of 2006 shows only a faint dirt foundation and no structures (see Figure 2). Almost all of the third reactor construction visible in the June 3, 2007 image has taken place in the last 10 months.
The similarities between the second and third reactor construction projects indicate that the power of the third plutonium production reactor is likely to be similar to that of the second reactor (see Figures 1, 4, 5 and 6). The first Khushab reactor went critical in 1998 and looks significantly different from the second and third reactors (see Figure 3). The facilities at this site are not safeguarded by the IAEA and support Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program. ISIS reported in January 18, 2007 the resumption of construction of what appears to be a plutonium separation facility at Chashma, a facility approximately 80 km west of Khushab. This reprocessing facility, which would be Pakistan’s second and is also unsafeguarded, is likely related to the construction of the two additional reactors at Khushab. When the reactors come on line, Pakistan’s demand for reprocessing capacity would increase significantly. The expanded construction at Khushab, and apparent resumption of activity at the Chashma plutonium separation plant, all occurring within the last six years, imply that Pakistan’s government has made a decision to increase significantly its production of plutonium for nuclear weapons.
Re: Satellite Images Show Pakistan Expanding Nuclear Program
Does this really equate to an expansion of the energy base, or is it onloy for the purposes of making more war heads????
What are the implications of all this?
Re: Satellite Images Show Pakistan Expanding Nuclear Program
lol
most of you guys just arnt reading the news article
this is pakistan building its third nuke weapons plant, the second hasnt been completed yet
this is a direct answer to indias potential nuclear deal with the US. the arms race is on!(and so is the possibility we might get placed on the axis of damned)
Re: Satellite Images Show Pakistan Expanding Nuclear Program
lol
most of you guys just arnt reading the news article
this is pakistan building its third nuke weapons plant, the second hasnt been completed yet
this is a direct answer to indias potential nuclear deal with the US. the arms race is on!(and so is the possibility we might get placed on the axis of damned)
I read it, and I have been welcoming the expanding nuclear programme of Pakistan - civilian or for weapons purposes. :)
Re: Satellite Images Show Pakistan Expanding Nuclear Program
Last night a nuclear physicist from MIT said on Geo that plutonium based plants r not ideal for nuclear energy. Their main use is production of enough plutonium to be used in nuclear war heads. So this plant might not help us much economically after all.
Re: Satellite Images Show Pakistan Expanding Nuclear Program
Does this really equate to an expansion of the energy base, or is it onloy for the purposes of making more war heads????
What are the implications of all this?
