Exploring the Universe with Nuclear Power

universetoday.com ^ | on January 30, 2015 | by Matt Williams

[BenLurkin]

I imagine the reason NASA calls this a "new" concept is that it hopes nobody remembers that the idea using of nuclear rockets has already been rejected in the past.

[cripplecreek]

It was even successfully tested using conventional explosives here on earth.

I’d still like to hear more from DARPA on their fusion research. I generally write people off when they say fusion but when DARPA says it I listen.

[BenLurkin]

These three proposals are all fission engines where the nuclear fuel serves only to heat a liquid propellant into high energy jets of plasma.

[cripplecreek]

Fission reactors could also be used to power VASMIR engines at a much higher energy rate than have been tested so far.

[skinkinthegrass]

in before Star Trek reference....

[Vince Ferrer]

The first thing we need to do before this is build the next generation of telescopes. These will be so powerful that we can decide where to go before we leave.

[cripplecreek]

The next generation of telescopes are being built all the time. We still need much better propulsion systems to effectively explore our own solar system.

[webheart]

Well, that was very funny. And clever. In before the Uranus jokes.

[skinkinthegrass]

the Uranus jokes.all classics...

[cripplecreek]

Well I’m working on a circumcision joke for Jew Peter.

[skinkinthegrass]

"All Classics"
"working on a circumcision joke"OMG! ..What have I done?

[cripplecreek]

Well if you can’t hack it.....

[nomad]

So I guess they`ve forgotten about the Challenger, what happens when one of these blows up during launch?

[skinkinthegrass]

OH! ..I really love ‘em (just revealing my PC mode)

[nuke rocketeer]

You put a nuke drive in orbit with a standard chemical rocket. Load the fuel and coolant, then fire it up. NASA and the AEC ran the NERVA program testing solid core nuclear rockets until the early 1970’s. They tested a design that was almost ready to put in orbit and test.

[nuke rocketeer]

http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/N/NERVA.html

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

To my thinking, propulsion is a secondary consideration when planning any kind of extended missions for humans.

The primary consideration should be to develop an electro-magnetic type of shielding to protect the ship and its human crew from the effects of cosmic radiation from our Sun and other sources. An emulation of what protects the Earth would be a good start.

Without that, the type of propulsion is immaterial if the crew is killed or severely effected by the hostile environment they travel through for extended periods.

[Ted Grant]

As a fan of silver age Marvel comics, getting belted by cosmic rays has its benefits.

[nomad]

Correct, yes I got that, but what was powering the space shuttle Challenger when it blew up? Chemical rockets? I`ve seen footage of many a rocket blowing up on launch, so what happens when one of these blows up during it`s chemical launch phase?

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

As a fan of silver age Marvel comics, getting belted by cosmic rays has its benefits.

Definitely. But I have a hard time choosing. Invisibility with force field projection capabilities? Or the ability to stretch/deform any part of your body to limitless size/length? There are others but still hard to decide.