[Brett66]

Ping.

[gcruse]

Thanks for the heads up.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

President Bush senior announced a Space exploration initiative in 1989. The goal then was to send a manned mission to Mars by 2018. The Nuclear rocket was again considered as the main engine for Mars missions. In the end nuclear propulsion can take many forms ranging from low thrust nuclear electric propulsion, higher thrust nuclear thermal propulsion and electrical or thermal "Pulsed nuclear" propulsion. Essentially the old axiom, "Build it and they shall come" holds. A nuclear main engine that demonstrates all the right qualities will be used. Personally, Nuclear Fusion and Antimatter propulsion though promising is far into the future in development. Open nuclear thermal pulse technology is again intensively banked into the future in design. Could be useful for evasive and emergency maneuvering in space.

Bump!

NASA'S MIDLIFE CRISIS -Poll: Space program generates low enthusiasm in public--- John Pike, space-policy expert and director of the defense think tank Globalsecurity.org, was more blunt. "Rich white men like the space program; other people don't," he said. "Rich people are prepared to spend money on luxuries that poorer people aren't."

[techcor]

Wouldn't mind being pinged on this subject . Bump for later. I'll refrain from mentioning the most powerful nuclear fuel but I definitely believe nuclear power is the only way to go for space so thanks for the link. The future really should be like a Heinlein novel.