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The nuclear-powered submarine crisis
(theecologist.org)
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this post was submitted on 18 Aug 2025
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There are many things that are technologically possible but we don't have them because they are seen as being impractical.
Nuclear subs use all the tech that would be needed for a space colony.
Got it. Something about the way you phrased it the first time was confusing and I didn't know what you were getting at.
Subs have a big advantage in that they make their own oxygen from all the water around them.
All subs or just nuclear subs?
Any sub could but only nuclear bother. They have the power generation to run the process and stay down long enough to need it.
Other subs run on batteries and need to surface to recharge. So making oxygen would reduce how long you can stay down not extend it.
@Hugin
I'm probably wrong, but AFAIK subs (navy war vessels) don't actually need much "new" or "introduced" oxygen when submerged.
Us humans breathe out just as much oxygen as we breathe in - it's just that it's contaminated with carbon - CO2.
I don't think that nuclear powered subs "generate" or "create" much oxygen for the purposes of life support.
Instead, subs use CO2 "scrubbers" that are replaced at regular intervals. (See space flight, especially Apollo 13...)
As stated, "diesel electric" subs ALSO need to either surface or "snorkel" when running on diesel to recharge their batteries.
@maniacalmanicmania
The scrubber absorbs the CO2 it doesn't break the O2 from the C. So H2O to H and O2 to CO2 to storage in the scrubber.
Here is a link to the various methods used for the steps. https://www.marineinsight.com/know-more/submarines-get-oxygen/
@Hugin
Ah, cool. So, O2 replenishment is still required. Ta!