HN Explorer

Ask HN: Nuclear propulsion

2 points by relaxy ↗ HN
Since the russians created a nuclear rocket, there is no reason to build the conventional propulsion for the interplantary flights anymore.

Does it mean the BFR plans of Elon Musk are just the waste of time and money?

2 comments

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maze-le
This is not a propulsion system for space flight. The russians hava claimed to have invented a nuclear ramjet engine. This is a huge difference, because a jet engine still needs air to run. There was a similiar project in the US in the 60ies called Project Pluto. It was abandoned, since it it would have devastated all land within its flightpath, by radiation and its supersonic shockwave. A system like this is only feasible as alternative to ICBMs, in the case of a total nuclear war. A high speed flight system inside the Atmosphere is harder to detect and to defend against.
gus_massa
Don't take every official announcement of any country at face value. Let's wait until the launch a geostationary satellite with the nuclear rocket before canceling the current plans.

[IIUC it's a missile that use the nuclear power to heat/accelerate the air. I guess it can be adapted to space with some tank with a gas to heat/accelerate, but I'm not a rocket scientist.]