Project Orion: Spaceship Propelled by Atomic Blasts

[Anonymous]

And Then, Of Course, There Was...

Project Orion.

The plan to propel a rocket into space by exploding atomic bombs, 200ft behind it, at regular intervals.:eek!!!!:

And that's a project that's still got its fans!

 

[Anonymous]

Re: And Then, Of Course, There Was...

The plan to propel a rocket into space by exploding atomic bombs, 200ft behind it, at regular intervals.:eek!!!!:
URL]!

There was a marvelous scene in a Larry Niven book where the heroes (IIRC) use this method to get into space. (Can't recall the name. Just remember that the nasty aliens were similar to elephants. )

 

[ruffready]

like the one in the frist "alien"

the nasty aliens were similar to elephants

:eek!!!!:

 

[Cult_of_Mana]

Re: Re: And Then, Of Course, There Was...

There was a marvelous scene in a Larry Niven book where the heroes (IIRC) use this method to get into space. (Can't recall the name. Just remember that the nasty aliens were similar to elephants. )

It was called Footfall.

 

[Frasier Buddolph]

Here's a good history (and possible future) of the Orion atomic rocket project . . .

http://newatlas.com/orion-project-atom-bomb-spaceship/49454/

 

[Mythopoeika]

I read somewhere that there wasn't enough nuclear material available to make it get off the ground - it would be pretty wasteful, then.