Project Orion

Excerpt from BBC's "To Mars by A-Bomb" (2003), with footage of the "hot rod" tests and comments by Arthur Clarke and Freeman Dyson.

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  People & Blogs

[TheRealDaKing93]

The real world equivalent of rocketjumping in Team Fortress 2.

[Azilythe]

Compared to the amount of waste rocket fuel is, this is extremely efficient.

[joemamaUSA]

It's a beautiful idea, and a reasonably workable one if you ignore the downsides associated with it (especially considering the alternatives when it was first proposed). But I'm afraid it's just not practical anymore. We're coming up on producing fusion powered rocket engines that are vastly more efficient, safer, and not radioactive at all.

Project Orion is an amazing optimistic idea, but I'm afraid it's time for being relevant has almost passed.

[MrDPMan3000]

I think this might work if there is more thought and time put into this, sure it sounds unreal but many things in the past seemed unreal as well. From what it looks like to me, Orion might be the solution to many problems of travel into far space, well for now.

[BlueIndy1]

In the history of bad ideas, Project Orion is one of the worst. The only thing maybe worse, was the concept in the late 50s early 60s of using nuclear bombs to dreg harbors with. Anybody who does not understand the dangers in this idea are total idiots and know NOTHING of the radiation / enviromental dangers OR the dangers of the energy pulse and its effect on communications. This idea is best left in the comic books..

[1058claude]

Thank you very much.

[RustyNex]

you are a wonderful person i wish you all the best in the world

[1058claude]

And look at your channel! It is SO AWESOME! All the gameboy CRAP in the world. GET A LIFE, LOSER!

[1058claude]

You are a hypocrite. You are stupid. So just give it up already!

[1058claude]

I agree.

[1058claude]

Humans can survive the forces involved, if there is a sufficient damping system.