• Question: Do you think that Project Orion will ever happen or if it would work over large distances?

    Asked by WilliamK to Samuel, Reshma, raam, K-Jo, Alison on 14 Nov 2018.
    • Photo: K-Jo O'Flynn

      K-Jo O'Flynn answered on 14 Nov 2018:

      By what I know of Project Orion, it would take a lot of the public votes and politicians to allow the project to happen! The Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty signed a form that the forbids testing any nuclear devices anywhere but underground in 1963. Then two years later USAF cancelled the projects budget which stopped all research! The whole concept and idea was remarkable and to this day it is the only means of interstellar travel! So maybe one day, in the far future, when technology has advanced and all safety has been taken into consideration, it might actually happen:D It had a test in 1959 in California where the concept survived 5 successful explosions which sent the rocket faster and higher every time! So it can travel far. So maybe one day:D

    • Photo: Samuel Bancroft

      Samuel Bancroft answered on 14 Nov 2018:

      The project wasn’t followed up mainly because noone at the time had a reason to build such a large rocket to carry a large payload. Such a rocket would only be able to be used far away from Earth as well. The nuclear treaties of the 1960s also put a swift end to the project development.

      People today are still iffy about the use of radioactive electric generators (RTGs) so I doubt nuclear bombs in space will be looked at kindly!

      I think if the project was ever to be picked up again, it’s going to be far into the future when we are transporting huge rockets far far into space 😀 No need for governments (with the nuclear bombs) to spend huge amounts of money on it just yet

    • Photo: Reshma Vora

      Reshma Vora answered on 14 Nov 2018:

      Maybe – but not in our lifetime

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