[ZylonBane]

Thought you guys might find this interesting...

Back in the 60s, NASA and ARPA were working on a design for an interplanetary space vehicle code-named Orion. Its distinguishing characteristic was that it would have been propelled by....  a steady stream of atomic bombs.

The only thing that stopped it was the Nuclear Test Ban treaty. Gotta love that Eisenhower-era know-how.

http://www.islandone.org/Propulsion/ProjectOrion.html
http://www.islandone.org/APC/Nuclear/09.html

[Knight Templar]

intresting.. very retro, except I think their plan would back, fire?




*runs*

[Stryke 9]

I want it. And enough, ah, fuel to get me to Alpha Centauri and back within the decade. Mostly just the fuel.

[Setekh]

Originally posted by ZylonBane
....  a steady stream of atomic bombs.

The only thing that stopped it was the Nuclear Test Ban treaty. Gotta love that Eisenhower-era know-how.
 

Heard about this a little while ago when researching antimatter propulsion engines... probably would have been something of a pain to find pilots willing to fly the thing. But hey, some things can never be.

[karajorma]

They keep thinking of reintroducing it for the mars mission IIRC.

BTW Most of you have already heard of this but didn`t notice. The ship in Deep Impact was powered by an orion style engine.

[StratComm]

Well sort of.  It was an atomic engine yes, but the concept of literally getting pushed along by a stream of atomic bombs was dropped in favor of a more sci-fi atomic burn effect.

[deep_eyes]

thats nothing, the us navy expects to have a railgun ready for use between 2010-2015 for standard use.

and they just unvieled a weapon the size of a fighter mountable missile that generates an electrical pulse that fries electronics, like an EMP blast minus the electro magnatism, the pulse, the radiation from the bomb dropping the EMP, and gets thru standard emp blockage insulations. it generates as much electricty in its lil warhead as the hover dam!

[Knight Templar]

Somebodies been watching the Discovery channel

[Nico]

Originally posted by deep_eyes
thats nothing, the us navy expects to have a railgun ready for use between 2010-2015 for standard use.

and they just unvieled a weapon the size of a fighter mountable missile that generates an electrical pulse that fries electronics, like an EMP blast minus the electro magnatism, the pulse, the radiation from the bomb dropping the EMP, and gets thru standard emp blockage insulations. it generates as much electricty in its lil warhead as the hover dam!

that's cool. how do they use it? they call crazy ivan, stick it to a cow and send the animal to the enemy base?

[Cannikin]

Originally posted by deep_eyes
...minus the electro magnatism, the pulse...

Umm... then how does it generate an Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP)? . And there's no such thing as electricty without electromagentism because electricity IS electromagnetism.

Seriously I think that's just a load of total BS. Normal electrical energy requires and difference of charges to travel (e.g. difference in the clouds and the ground). Electromagnetic pulse works because the electrons propogate outwards (hence the term "pulse") regardless of currents or charges.

This thing would never work without an EMP unless the warheads induced lightning storms over the target

And before misunderstandings crop up, I'm not saying that you're spewing crap deep_eyes, just I would be very wary of sources. I've known many so-called "reliable" internet sources who spill out BS by the boatload.

[Nico]

never heard about the nukes EMP effects? seems you don't need a storm or anything, cannikin.

[Cannikin]

Originally posted by venom2506
never heard about the nukes EMP effects? seems you don't need a storm or anything, cannikin.

Yes, I am fully aware of the the EMP effects and how it is produced in nuclear weapons. However, if you read deep_eyes post it says that it is an EMP without the electromagnetism or the pulse (which completely contradicts the phrase itself lol) which makes no sense.

EDIT: Changed my original post slightly.

[CP5670]

On the original topic, this concept definitely has potential, as the pulse units would be much cheaper and faster than conventional chemical propellant. This might be especially nice for moving unmanned data collection ships through the solar system more quickly.

[karajorma]

Might also be a good use for all the nukes that america and former russia are dismantling cause they aren`t really needed.

[ZylonBane]

 I kind of think that Orion would rely on very specifically-made nukes.

[Petrarch of the VBB]

Yes, but the crews don't have to know that.

[deep_eyes]

the missle/bomb that would use this electro-shock weapon (NOT EMP) is about the size of a bunker buster bomb. dont have exact size of a bunker bomb but its somewhat the size of a very large duffle bag.

now the governement has confirmed its existance, such as the issopheric bomb which they used @ tora bora to collapes cave entrances and entire cave systems, and this weapon is just the latest in technilogical warefare.

mind you this weapon is non-nuclear and doesnt "explode" like conventional weaponry. but the electric shock generated is so strong that it does amass as much electricity as the hover dam.

as stated in NY Post & NY Times last week.

[deep_eyes]

Originally posted by Cannikin


Yes, I am fully aware of the the EMP effects and how it is produced in nuclear weapons. However, if you read deep_eyes post it says that it is an EMP without the electromagnetism or the pulse (which completely contradicts the phrase itself lol) which makes no sense.

EDIT: Changed my original post slightly.

it was said this way dude cause i was trying to find the words to express @ the time what my statement was but ima clarify it. the weapon does the same damage EMP does, but without the EMP, and the nuclear weapon. same effect as a weapon, no aftereffect from the weapon.

[karajorma]

Originally posted by ZylonBane
 I kind of think that Orion would rely on very specifically-made nukes.

Which could very easily use the uranium/plutonium from unneeded nukes. Or do you think the world needs more plutonium?