NASA - NASA's Pluto Mission Draws Three Dozen Protesters - About three dozen people gathered at the Cape Canaveral spaceport Saturday to protest this month's planned launch of a plutonium-powered space probe bound for Pluto. The people are worried that if the rocket explodes, it would expose them to high levels of radiation. They are also concerned about whether this whole project is not merely a chance to test a nuclear generator for use in space weapons.
There are always risks associated with progress, but at times the risks can be too costly. If the rocket should explode, the radiation would become embedded within the environment essentially forever. Even if there were safer methods of proceeding with this project, the cost issue would most likely render them useless. This particular project does not seem to be that imperative, and risking people's lives as well the environment over it would not be a prudent decision.