5 ms·
In my opinion, the end game for getting to Mars quickly and economically has to be nuclear pulse propulsion[1]. With this approach, which was technologically f
by blisterpeanuts 11y ago
In my opinion, the end game for getting to Mars quickly and economically has to be nuclear pulse propulsion[1]. With this approach, which was technologically feasible back in the 1950s-60s when it was first being studied, you could get to Mars in a couple of weeks.
Maybe use conventional means to robotically transport the shelters, building materials, and other resources to Mars, and then the humans can be transported via NPP, which would save tons of air and food resources compared to an eight month conventional trip, and also be safer -- a much shorter time in space means much less risk of cosmic ray exposure, micrometeorites, equipment failures, medical emergencies, etc.
If we can overcome the safety issues and the political squeamishness of manufacturing and launching into orbit hundreds of small nuclear explosives, we can possess Mars. It just takes money and will.
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_pulse_propulsion https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_pulse_propulsion
- jsprogrammer 11y agoProbably best to not have hundreds of nuclear explosives orbiting us.
- tdy721 11y agoSo you managed to get some Nuclear material to space? Please don't just burn it up in a chain reaction. We can do better. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_salt-water_rocket https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_salt-water_rocket This one lets you at least 'aim' the fission fragments. It's dangerous and fast, thought you would like that. But closed cycle is best: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_thermal_rocket https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_thermal_rocket We don't need or want 'Nukes in Space' just reactors and engines.
- Symmetry 11y agoThe problem is that the pusher plate is so heavy that you really want to launch that off planet under its own power to make it worthwhile and that would generate some fallout. There are things you can do to minimize that but it would still be as bad as an open air thermonuclear bomb test like Castle Bravo. The nuclear powers conducted lots of those but they do kill an expected 100 people each given some assumptions about the danger of low radiation doses. On the other hand nuclear-thermal, nuclear-electric, and solar-electric are all fine ways of getting to Mars faster.
- blisterpeanuts 11y agoI would think you could launch a pusher plate using a very large, conventional lift technology. The Saturn V had a lift capacity of 120,000 kg (260,000 lbs). Surely that's enough to get one of these bad boys into orbit?