Nuclear rockets could cut cost of Moon base - space - 28 June 2007 - New Scientist Space

[groovychk]

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Nuclear rockets could cut cost of Moon base - space - 28 June 2007 - New Scientist Space
Howe envisions using a nuclear engine similar to one designed and tested in the 1960s called Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application (NERVA). In the NASA-funded NERVA design, hydrogen gas is heated by nuclear reactions in a uranium reactor and expelled to produce thrust.
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I am ALL for this. We are long past due on using nuclear rocket engines.

The higher efficiency of such an engine means almost 29 tonnes of cargo could be delivered to the Moon in a single Ares V launch, compared to 21 tonnes with the non-nuclear version. This would allow a 250-tonne lunar base to be constructed with only nine rather than 12 Ares V launches, Howe says.

Comments

NUCLEAR ROCKET

[(Anonymous)]

YOUR FOR NR, OK SO YOU WANT TO EAT AND DRINK RADIACTIVITY FOR A COUPLE O BILLON YEARS WHEN 1 IN 100 OR A K LAUNCHES EXPLODES FROM LAUNCHPAD TO ORBIT. VERY CLEVER. AND FOR WHAT? FOR SAVING A FEW PENNY. YOURE NOT THINKING PROPERLY. ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE RISK MANAGMENT CONCEPT?, SPEED COST MONEY, OPEN YOUR WALLET AND PAY YOUR TAXES.
EDGAR ALTMANN, BUENOS AIRES. altmann@movi.com.ar