3 ms·
- "You can't blow up multiple nuclear rockets within the atmosphere just to learn what needs fixing for the next attempt." Sure you can. Russia has blown up mu
by perihelions 3y ago
- "You can't blow up multiple nuclear rockets within the atmosphere just to learn what needs fixing for the next attempt."
Sure you can. Russia has blown up multiple experimental nuclear-powered cruise missiles in the last few years [0,1]. It's a political question of tradeoffs, of how much you value technological progress on a particular front.
America hasn't blown up any atmospheric nuclear reactors in this century. America is also unlikely to learn how to build aerospace nuclear reactors in this century.
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyonoksa_radiation_accident https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyonoksa_radiation_accident
[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16509396 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16509396 ("U.S. Has Been Watching Russia's Nuclear-Powered Cruise Missiles Crash and Burn (thedrive.com)")
- LargoLasskhyfv 3y ago> America is also unlikely to learn how to build aerospace nuclear reactors in this century. Why should it? It already knows. Since last century: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Pluto https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Pluto In a place called 'Jackass Flats', of all things...(Giggle) Edit: Or take the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NERVA https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NERVA mentioned here by credit_guy: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38136383 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38136383 Same place, name is program :-)