[vannrox]

Exciting.

[Rebelbase]

I just hope they remember to lube the O rings prior to launch.

[Straight Vermonter]

I have hoped to hear this for quite a while now. After reading about the early successes in the nuclear space program I realize we might have been shooting for the outer planets by now rather than just our nearest neighbor.

[Imal]

Exciting indeed! Certainly, when dealing with such deadly substances as plutonium, extra precautions must be taken. But the rewards of allowing for more potent power sources on spacecraft outweigh the risks.

Imal

[jennyp]

I forget. How would a nuclear rocket engine work? Does it heat up something & shoot it out the back? Why would this be more efficient than a controlled chemical explosion (i.e. conventional method)? And how much of this expelled matter would it have to keep onboard for a Mars trip?