4 ms·
This is different, in that it uses heat from a nuclear reaction to push out a propellant. No explosion takes place.
by travisporter 6y ago
This is different, in that it uses heat from a nuclear reaction to push out a propellant. No explosion takes place.
- Sharlin 6y agoHowever, nuclear thermal was also not just considered, but actively developed, under the NERVA program which ran from the fifties until 1973.
- aerostable_slug 6y agoIt's continued development afterwards in different forms. Project TIMBER WIND was a pebble-bed reactor upper stage for SDI boost phase intercepts. The reactor wouldn't be spun up until after the missile had cleared the atmosphere, so there's no fallout to worry about.