Its pretty hopeless to expect ground-to-orbit nuclear
rocket propulsion any time in the foreseeable future.
On the other hand,
radiation shielding material is not the type of thing that needs to be sent up
in one big chunk, so certain alternative methods may be useful (this also goes
for other types of bulk materials like water and rocket propellants for
supplying space stations and interplanetary space ships, as well as for
"micro-satellites" based on advanced electronics &
nanotechnology).
One such potential bulk material launch system relies on
nuclear power stations to energize large lasers which propel small spacecraft to
orbit, as illustrated below. The concept has already been proven with laboratory
sub-scale tests, but so far there does not appear to have been an urgent need to
develop a full-scale version of this "conveyor belt to space." Nonetheless, its
interesting because it shows that its more likely that we will be beaming
nuclear power into space, rather than solar power down to earth :-)
-----Original Message-----
From: AtomicRod@aol.com [mailto:AtomicRod@aol.com]
Sent: Sunday
October 27, 2002 4:36 AM
To: cdn-nucl-l@informer2.cis.McMaster.CA
Subject:
Re: [cdn-nucl-l] Space station radiation
shields
'disappointing'
NASA is ripe for a paradigm shift.
Engineers there have always been obsessed
about reducing weight; they know
that every additional kilogram in payload or
in the space vehicles themselves
represents several additional kilograms in
rocket fuel required to get off of
the earth and into space.
The paradigm would shift dramatically if a more
compact fuel source were used.
Nuclear rockets would enable the lifting
of heavier space vehicles, thus
allowing the use of better shielding material
and significantly reducing
exposure from cosmic radiation.
Rod
Adams
www.atomicinsights.com