- American engineers are preparing to send
a robot inside what remains of the shattered Chernobyl nuclear reactor.
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- They want to complete a survey of the
installation before an international effort begins to repair the massive
concrete and steel tomb that now surrounds it.
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- This sarcophagus, as it is known, was
erected quickly in the aftermath of what was the world's worst nuclear
accident. But, weakened by radiation and the elements, it is now in danger
of collapse.
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- Were this to happen, radioactive dust
and debris would be thrown into the atmosphere resulting in another environmental
disaster.
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- Enter Pioneer, a sturdy robot featured
on this week's edition of the BBC science programme Tomorrow's World. The
machine will be sent to the most dangerous parts of the Chernobyl plant
- places where human operators would get a lifetime's radiation in just
three minutes.
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- 3D map
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- It has a plough on the front to push
aside fallen debris and tank tracks to climb over larger objects. An imposing
drill allows Pioneer to test the structural weakness of concrete.
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- Crucially, by using spaceage camera technology,
the robot will also be able to construct a three dimensional map of the
damaged power station's interior.
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- "The 3D mapper takes the three images
and generates a 3D model of the shelter," says Mike Catalan from robotics
company RedZone. "It's basically an extension of the 3D image system
that was used on the Mars Sojourner robot."
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- These unique images, together with temperature
and radiation data, will help build a comprehensive picture of what the
reactor is now like inside the sarcophagus.
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- The international community can then
make proper decisions about what needs to be done to make Chernobyl safe.
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- Biobot heroes
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- This should finally end the need for
humans to go into the tomb to carry out emergency repairs. These people,
known as biobots, expose themselves to dangerously high levels of radiation.
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- "There have been a lot of manned
entries into the shelter," says Bruce Thompson from RedZone. "As
times move on, they've moved beyond that phase. I've heard the Ukrainians
say 'now is not the time for heroics'. It's time to use more remote technology."
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- But Pioneer's most sensitive systems
will also need to be protected from the intense radiation. None of the
important electronics are on board - they are kept safely inside a lead-lined
room with Pioneer connected to the controls by an unbiblical cord.
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- The Chernobyl accident in April 1986
was the result of a test procedure that went disastrously wrong. More than
30 people died fighting the initial fire and 46,000 people had to be evacuated
from the region within a radius of 10 km around Pripyat.
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