The fastest thing on earth

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kapikui
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Re: The fastest thing on earth

Post by kapikui »

Apparently the story is exaggerated. http://io9.gizmodo.com/no-a-nuclear-exp ... 1715340946
BDK
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Re: The fastest thing on earth

Post by BDK »

From what I understood the nuclear launching idea required lots of small nuclear explosions, and very massive crafts, to be able to accelerate in a survivable fashion... But I could be completely wrong.

Would be an interesting way to launch exploration satellites out of LEO
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HTRN
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Re: The fastest thing on earth

Post by HTRN »

D5CAV wrote:Back when people weren't so worried about something called "fallout", there was a project funded by the US to launch a space craft using nuclear bombs. It was in the 1950s and called "Project Orion".
Yeah, darpa came up with some wacky shit back in the late 50s/early 60s. For more fun look such lovely ideas as SLAM, project pluto, and of course that darling of spacebattles SI fiction, casaba howitzers.
Last edited by HTRN on Mon Feb 08, 2016 1:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
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MiddleAgedKen
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Re: The fastest thing on earth

Post by MiddleAgedKen »

In a backward, horrifying way, SLAM Is the most awesome thing that ever awed. :mrgreen: The only thing that would make it more awesome is a cockpit.

I'm kidding about that last part. I think.
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Greg
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Re: The fastest thing on earth

Post by Greg »

MiddleAgedKen wrote:In a backward, horrifying way, SLAM Is the most awesome thing that ever awed. :mrgreen: The only thing that would make it more awesome is a cockpit.
Project Pluto, that it was part of, was aptly named. Lord of the underworld indeed.
I'm kidding about that last part. I think.
One way ride, but you could log a *lot* of miles.
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JustinR
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Re: The fastest thing on earth

Post by JustinR »

MiddleAgedKen wrote:In a backward, horrifying way, SLAM Is the most awesome thing that ever awed. :mrgreen: The only thing that would make it more awesome is a cockpit.

I'm kidding about that last part. I think.
Remember when the Mercury astronauts told von Braun that they wouldn't fly unless the capsule had windows and controls? If you were von Braun in this case, I would imagine they would tell you to go F yourself, in a respectful manner. :lol: Flying an unshielded reactor...geez. :P
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HTRN
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Re: The fastest thing on earth

Post by HTRN »

MiddleAgedKen wrote:In a backward, horrifying way, SLAM Is the most awesome thing that ever awed. :mrgreen: The only thing that would make it more awesome is a cockpit.

I'm kidding about that last part. I think.
SLAM is the answer to the question of "I want to fuck him and everything that stands in the way of doing so" :lol:

And the various arms limitations agreements put paid to the development of the casaba howitzer - no nukes in space.. it would have made Battlestar Galactica about 6 time more awesome though. :ugeek:
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mekender
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Re: The fastest thing on earth

Post by mekender »

JustinR wrote:
MiddleAgedKen wrote:In a backward, horrifying way, SLAM Is the most awesome thing that ever awed. :mrgreen: The only thing that would make it more awesome is a cockpit.

I'm kidding about that last part. I think.
Remember when the Mercury astronauts told von Braun that they wouldn't fly unless the capsule had windows and controls? If you were von Braun in this case, I would imagine they would tell you to go F yourself, in a respectful manner. :lol: Flying an unshielded reactor...geez. :P
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First Shirt
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Re: The fastest thing on earth

Post by First Shirt »

As John Glenn famously said:

“I guess the question I'm asked the most often is: "When you were sitting in that capsule listening to the count-down, how did you feel?" Well, the answer to that one is easy. I felt exactly how you would feel if you were getting ready to launch and knew you were sitting on top of two million parts -- all built by the lowest bidder on a government contract.”
I think that was Alan Shepherd.
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Weetabix
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Re: The fastest thing on earth

Post by Weetabix »

D5CAV wrote:Back when people weren't so worried about something called "fallout", there was a project funded by the US to launch a space craft using nuclear bombs. It was in the 1950s and called "Project Orion".

The idea was resurrected as a plot device in the SciFi novel "Footfall" by Larry Niven.
I loved that book. :mrgreen:
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