Fukushima Robot Dies Three Hours After Entering Radioactive Reactor Vessel

[Ichingcarpenter]

TEPCO hoped to take a look inside the vessel containing one of the three reactors, which underwent a meltdown in the 2011 nuclear disaster.

A group of approximately 40 workers sent the remotely-controlled device, allegedly capable of withstanding high levels of radiation, into the vessel at 11:20 a.m. The robot stopped functioning after covering two thirds of the route at approximately 2:10 p.m., according to the Tokyo Electric Power Co.


The company did not say whether it would send another robot into the vessel on Monday, as previously planned. TEPCO's ultimate goal is to use the robot to inspect the melted fuel inside the vessel.

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/asia/20150411/1020753051.html#ixzz3X5avSOUG

[marym625]

1. I suspect that the ramifications of this disaster

Won't be fully known in our lifetime. The fact that it still isn't being widely publicized just shows us how money talks, and only bullshit makes MSM.

[Ichingcarpenter]

2. The Japanese build some of the best robots in the world

The radiation must be really extreme three years ago Toshiba launches radiation-proof robot to clean up Fukushima The robot, which was specially designed to help decommission Japan's crippled Fukushima Daichi nuclear plant, features a dosimeter to measure radiation and six cameras.


http://rt.com/news/fukushima-radiation-proof-robot-292/


Its obvious we are not getting the whole story on WTF is going on there.

[marym625]

3. Thank you for the link

Nope. We won't. I think I have mentioned this to you before but if not, you should check out Greg Palast's reporting on the subject. I don't mean to presume you haven't but it's really good. He has also linked to many other reports on his twitter feed since this disaster took place.

https://www.google.com/search?q=fukushima&sitesearch=gregpalast.com

One of my favorite from 2011:

http://www.gregpalast.com/not-another-ransom-note-from-congressman-boehner/

Look out your window.  What you'll see is that, while the debt-ceiling hostage crisis played out on cable TV, the planet has been burning down.

While that article is not all about Fukushima, I believe it was the catalyst to his in depth reports

Thanks for keeping us informed on this, Ichingcarpenter

[Scuba]

4. K&R

[NickB79]

5. Other sources are saying the robot isn't waterproof

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/04/10/national/remote-controlled-robot-probe-inside-reactor-1-containment-vessel/#.VSwPOpMztz8

Ultimately, the utility plans to explore the underground portion of the vessel, where the melted fuel rods are believed to have puddled. But that is not yet feasible because the robot isn’t waterproof. A waterproof version is expected to be developed by the end of next March.

So between that and the radiation, it's time was bound to be short.

[FBaggins]

6. A waterproof model is due late in the year or early next year.

The two missions scheduled for this month were not supposed to reach the area where there should be standing water. They were supposed to survey a couple dozen spots on the higher level to gather data and identify an unblocked route for a similar device to reach the "basement" level.

That said, the reported symptoms don't match an electronic device shorting out due to water. The electronics appear to be functioning.