Nuclear fission



Nuclear fission is a nuclear reaction or radioactive decay process often used for the creation of nuclear weapons early in its discovery and later as a fuel source.

Overview
The earliest known use of nuclear fission was in its deployment as a devastating weapon, starting with the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. While fission's first uses were as weapons, the ultimate need for alternative sources of power in light of Petroleum shortages propelled both fission and fusion into mainstream power provision. Economic pressures culminated in what is best termed a nuclear economy in the United States of the 21st century, when shortages of petroleum and other resources forced the nation to switch to nuclear fission and nuclear fusion as the primary sources of energy. The transition to a greater reliance on nuclear power necessitated an increased ability to safely store its radioactive waste. Despite regulations and environmentalist movements, there was a serious disregard for safe and environmentally-friendly disposal, with nuclear waste being dumped in the wilderness with barely any containment. Nevada and its vast deserts was a popular choice, while Mass Fusion dumped its nuclear waste locally in Massachusetts.

Uses
With petroleum becoming a prohibitively expensive commodity and oil restricted for strategic uses, fission became the primary source of power until the advent of nuclear fusion in 2066. Although expensive and dangerous when used improperly, fission was used widely in a broad variety of applications, including:


 * Nuclear weapons: Fission could produce extremely powerful explosions in a relatively compact package. A fission-based weapon is found in the Mojave Wasteland. The United States also developed man-portable nuclear catapult, the M42 Fat Man, capable of delivering miniature nuclear munitions at range.
 * Power generation: Home nuclear reactors were built under the "Fission Pal" brand. Vaults also used fission generators for power generation.
 * Nuclear propulsion: With petroleum shortages, most automotive traffic ground to a halt. Alternative solutions were explored, and fission-based propulsion systems became popular. Nuclear engines were explored for use in space travel, by companies such as REPCONN Aerospace, but it was the automotive industry that adopted the technology most widely. Brands such as Corvega effectively monopolized the market with their nuclear vehicles. Fission-based engines and batteries proliferated and were commonplace. After the Great War, most fission-powered vehicles were volatile, potentially exploding if struck.
 * Portable power sources: The fission battery was widely used in robotics and other fields, especially in older Protectron and Mister Handy models. After the Great War, fission batteries became a popular choice among wastelanders as a cheap, readily available source of power for jury rigging electric systems, especially restoring pre-War street lights to life and providing night-time illumination.