4 ms·

Accelerating/decelerating at 1G the entire journey would be the perfect scenario. Not only that would be the shortest travel time, but it would maintain gravity

Accelerating/decelerating at 1G the entire journey would be the perfect scenario. Not only that would be the shortest travel time, but it would maintain gravity inside the ship all the time. If this is not the ultimate goal being worked towards, then we may as well just give up now. Nuclear is where it's at - it's the most efficient weight to power ratio generation known to man.

pfdietz 3y ago
It's about as realistic as propelling the vehicle with unicorn farts. In particular, the kinds of nuclear propulsion being discussed in this thread could not do it. Solid core nuclear thermal rockets using hydrogen have an Isp of about 1000, so they could accelerate a vehicle at 1 gee for less than an hour. The power/weight ratio of nuclear rockets actually sucks, compared to chemical rockets. Conveying heat through a solid/fluid interface is awkward and slow compared to just making it in situ by combustion.
- mdekkers 3y ago
  NASA: “Here are some idea around Nuclear propulsion in space” HN: > It's about as realistic as propelling the vehicle with unicorn farts.
  - pfdietz 3y ago
    The idea I was responding to there was not NASA's.
Teever 3y ago
Another realistic and cost effective scenario would be Von Braun Wheel or O'Neill Cylinder stations this orbit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_cycler https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_cycler