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NASA Scientist Explains We Could Have Reached Mars in 1970s, Why We Didn't

• deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
• JoeAltmaier 10y ago
  My father-in-law worked on the Rover project, a nuclear engine intended to get us to Mars. In much less than 180 days because it wouldn't be a ballistic orbit, it would be powered. A test burn had a coolant problem (nothing wrong with the engine; the test fixture coolant) and it melted down on the pad. They had to blow their budget on cleanup, and Congress was de-funding space and they didn't get any more money. So sad.