Project Orion Video: The Secret Story of the Atomic Spaceship
World renowned physicist Freeman Dyson's son, George Dyson, tells the spellbinding story of Project Orion, a massive, nuclear-powered spacecraft the size of the Empire State building fueled by atomic bombs with the power to destroy half of Planet Earth. The mission was to take us to Saturn in five years. With an insider's perspective and a cache of documents -many still classified-photos and film, Dyson brings this dusty Atomic Age dream of the early 1960's to life.
The project lives today in limbo at NASA possibly to be activated should an asteroid arrive with our name on it.
Posted by Casey Kazan.
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Carl Sagan mentioned Project Orion on an episode of Cosmos in the 1980's, & documented it in the companion book to the series. The project was 86'ed because of the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which may still be in effect.
It would be an excellent way to handle an errant asteroid.
Posted by: knoxvilledaniel | February 17, 2008 at 09:32 PM
If the pree charobyl formulias were used this could be done none nuclear... do to the power pettit's desined to put out charobyl... could burn 75 year's.
none nuclear at 11,500,000 ton of thrust every 3/100 second's. yer none nuclear.
Posted by: vaughn nebeler | January 09, 2009 at 01:29 PM