Re: Project Orion Reborn.


Posted by Amaranth Rose on Feb 11, 2004 at 06:03
(65.172.150.222)

Re: Project Orion Reborn. (Pasti)

Hey, Guys! HOw about if instead of the nuclear explosion, we just rig up a giant steel drumhead on the back of the rocket, and set up a perimeter of big heavy mallets with spring returns and a windup mechanism so that when the mallet is raised from the drumhead it tightens the spring, and when a certain tension is reached, the mallet is cocked and then released to come banging into the drumhead. The springs could be rewound by electric motors powered by a nuclear electric plant on the inside or on some kind of nacelle, maybe in a pair extended on arms on either side of the ship itself to minimize radiation exposure to the ship's contents and balance the thing. It might even be possible to steer the thing (no tight turns, but some control at least) by pounding one side of the drumhead harder or faster than the other. It might be a slow starter, but it could ctill make the race interesting.

Of course, it might be a little difficult to slow down when you get where you're going, but if you could just go in some kind of elliptical orbit and have smaller craft to actually make landfalls, it could work, perhaps. Kind of like a deep ocean liner serviced by smaller boats.


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