[quote="fallsfromtrees"
Wait. How do you do a chemical separation of U235 from U238 without electricity? Either the gas diffusion or mass spectrometer approaches require large amounts of electricity. That's why the original Manhattan project plants were built in Washington and Tennessee.[/quote]
Now why let a little thing like the lack of electricity get in the way.
Dilandu (can't believe I am going to defend him here ...
) did say theoretically possible.
The French developed the CHEMEX process which is based on the oxidation/reduction of the uranium, however they have never taken it any further than pilot stage. The Japanese also have played around with this method but they used an ion-exchange resin method. Both methods are quite costly hence one reason I think the French only took it to pilot stage. I think the Japanese use their method during the 80s / 90s for their fast breeder program but I am not sure ...
The Iranians like the N Koreans have found that just because they can manufacture U235 using gas centrifuges it does not necessarily mean they can manufacture a reliable weapon, even a dirty A-bomb.
The Nazis during WW2 made a number of calculation errors during their stride to make one; with one of those errors being the amount of U235 required.
What they didn't know was that Niels Bohr had already determined their error and was passing this information onto his contacts in the resistance for it to be passed onto the Allies. Which aided the allies in their manufacturing and deployment of the A-bomb.
From memory you require at least a minimum of about 10%+ concentration of U235 for fission power (light reactors use about 15%; while larger ones the concentration is up around the 20-25% mark)
What is need for a bomb - even a rudimentary dirty nuke; which again if memory serves is about 60%+ of U235, even then this is on the low side. Current nuclear weapons use Plutonium-239 along with some U238/235, and a hydride - hence the term H-bomb - it is a lovely uncontrolled fusion firecracker
Back on topic - Dilandu did say theoretically and he is right you could do it but it way beyond Charis' capabilities (not Merlin's - but then he does use Fusion - totally different conversation ... lol).
What would be interesting is seeing the face on the revisiting/reawakened angel to see their OBS inactive and a series of nuclear reactors pumping out electricity and supporting a fledging space industry ....