From: Adrian Tymes (wingcat@pacbell.net)
Date: Tue Apr 08 2003 - 16:59:47 MDT
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=11185
"Orion", as in the concept from the '60s of having a
spacecraft with a well-armored back chuck some nuclear
bombs out the back, detonate them, and let the
explosion drive it forwards. Never actually deployed,
and debatable as to whether it's one of the more
efficient forms of nuclear propulsion; regardless, it
foundered on the general "no nukes in space" frenzy.
This new form uses magnetic compression instead of
surplus ICBM warheads, but is mostly the same concept.
Regardless of the merits of this particular study (and
it may be that this form is rather efficient), that
they'd even use the term "Orion" again shows NASA is
dead serious about nuclear propulsion, at least for
beyond-Earth-orbit travel. Now if only someone could
come up with a way to do nuclear propulsion in the
Earth's atmosphere that could adequately address
environmental concerns. Perhaps something that either
loses its radioactivity or manufactures heavy cocoons
for itself upon exposure to oxygen?
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