Robot Returns to Depths of Fukushima

A remote-controlled robot delved a second time inside Fukushima's damaged reactor, navigating the depths of the nuclear disaster site to collect melted fuel debris 14 years after the tsunami. As the AP reports, this follows an initial retrieval attempt in November in an effort to develop technology and robots capable for the larger cleanup needed at the site. The first operation resulted in the extraction of roughly 0.7 grams of nuclear material, reports News Central.

The robot, named "Telesco," carries cameras and a tong for debris collection. It has entered the No. 2 reactor's primary containment vessel. The goal is to reach an area closer to the core with potentially more melted fuel, in a task that will take several days. The decommissioning involves managing 880 tons of melted nuclear fuel and debris from three reactors. Future larger-scale methods will be determined after these smaller missions. Work is set to start at reactor No. 3 in the 2030s.