I think nuclear salt-water rockets might be more tenable. They produce consistent thrust, and do not involve sending nuclear weapons into orbit, hence not break

I think nuclear salt-water rockets might be more tenable. They produce consistent thrust, and do not involve sending nuclear weapons into orbit, hence not breaking any treaties. Their thrust is lower, but the complexity is lower aswell. No weird damping system to 'absorb' the explosion, and crucially, much less radiation. You are dumping the reaction products away from you, rather than shooting the reaction products at yourself as with Orion. Hence you need much less radiation shielding.