After reading “The hidden danger of the Cassini probe” by Ben Jones, I have a few comments to make.

First, I would like to say Mr. Jones is obviously ignorant about the topic he chose to write about. Not only does he present patently false information, he resorts to scare tactics and cover-up paranoia to sway readers.

In his article, he states that “one tiny mistake and we all would be dead.” I ask, how? Radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTG) have been used for almost 25 years in 23 space missions. RTGs have been involved in three accidents, and in all three, the RTGs performed just as NASA had said they would. After one incident, the RTG was recovered and used on a subsequent mission.

Also, the fuel used is ceramic plutonium dioxide. In the event of a catastrophic accident, this will break into pieces, not vaporize. It isn’t even very radioactive, —only an alpha emmiter (this type of radiation is stopped by a few inches of air).

Another completely false and ignorant remark made by Mr. Jones is that the “sling shot” maneuver has never been done before. Once again, this is completely wrong. These maneuvers have been used since 1973. The theory behind these maneuvers is fully understood and isn’t really complex. I recommend that anyone interested or concerned about this mission visit NASA’s Cassini Web page: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/cassini/ and read through the “Nuclear Safety” section.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but an informed opinion saves you from looking like a complete idiot.

Chad Daniel

Graduate student

Agronomy