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The Orion program had this potential on paper. Nuclear bomb propulsion is a complicated thing, but we don't understand if it's a feasible propulsion method in p

by DCKing 7y ago

The Orion program had this potential on paper. Nuclear bomb propulsion is a complicated thing, but we don't understand if it's a feasible propulsion method in practice, like, at all. Political will in this case brings us more understanding of the feasibility of this propulsion method, but it's way too big of a stretch that political will alone would get us to the nearest starts in 200 years.

techdragon 7y ago
Actually we do know it would work. The fundamental physics are sound. A pusher plate can in fact transfer net positive momentum from a series of explosive shockwaves detonated aft of the pusher plate in the desired direction of travel. There’s plenty of video footage from the Hot Rod tests showing it working. https://youtu.be/Q8Sv5y6iHUM https://youtu.be/Q8Sv5y6iHUM The hot rod test article was actually donated to the national air and space museum unfortunately it is not currently on display. https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/propulsion-test-vehicle-project-orion https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/propulsion-tes... And for the realities of scaling up from conventional explosives to nuclear detonations you can read a little more here http://www.spacedaily.com/news/nuclearspace-03h.html http://www.spacedaily.com/news/nuclearspace-03h.html and http://www.projectrho.com/public_html/rocket/realdesigns2.php http://www.projectrho.com/public_html/rocket/realdesigns2.ph... (scroll down till you get tot project Orion and they have a pretty good summary) And the Project Rho information has links to lots of the technical details and material as well if you want to learn a lot more.
- r00fus 7y ago
  The propulsion could work. What about sustaining life for 200 year biospehere without any external resources? What about interstellar debris? What about deceleration? And that's just the feasibility of the colony ship, then there's colonization/terraforming, etc. I'd be thrilled to see such an effort take shape, but to say "it would work" has marginal relevance to "the project is feasible".

by DCKing 7y ago

techdragon 7y ago

Actually we do know it would work. The fundamental physics are sound. A pusher plate can in fact transfer net positive momentum from a series of explosive shockwaves detonated aft of the pusher plate in the desired direction of travel. There’s plenty of video footage from the Hot Rod tests showing it working. https://youtu.be/Q8Sv5y6iHUM https://youtu.be/Q8Sv5y6iHUM The hot rod test article was actually donated to the national air and space museum unfortunately it is not currently on display. https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/propulsion-test-vehicle-project-orion https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/propulsion-tes... And for the realities of scaling up from conventional explosives to nuclear detonations you can read a little more here http://www.spacedaily.com/news/nuclearspace-03h.html http://www.spacedaily.com/news/nuclearspace-03h.html and http://www.projectrho.com/public_html/rocket/realdesigns2.php http://www.projectrho.com/public_html/rocket/realdesigns2.ph... (scroll down till you get tot project Orion and they have a pretty good summary) And the Project Rho information has links to lots of the technical details and material as well if you want to learn a lot more.

r00fus 7y ago
The propulsion could work. What about sustaining life for 200 year biospehere without any external resources? What about interstellar debris? What about deceleration? And that's just the feasibility of the colony ship, then there's colonization/terraforming, etc. I'd be thrilled to see such an effort take shape, but to say "it would work" has marginal relevance to "the project is feasible".