NASA

[Nakena]

NERVA is a thing though and feasible. The Nuclear Option.

Good video on the matter in case of interest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aBOhC1c6m8

[Purpelia]

NERVA is a thing though and feasible. The Nuclear Option.

Good video on the matter in case of interest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aBOhC1c6m8

But only powered by fission, as we have not yet actually figured out fusion power generation.

You do realize that the only thing qualifying as a "fusion drive" that our technology would allow is literally throwing fusion bombs out the back and riding the shockwave.

Something that was actually proposed, obviously never implemented.

I know.
But hope dies last.

[Novus America]

NERVA is a thing though and feasible. The Nuclear Option.

Good video on the matter in case of interest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aBOhC1c6m8

NERVA is technically fission not fusion though.
So it would not qualify as a fusion drive.

[Purpelia]

This being said, if you are willing to stretch the definition a bit solar sails count as fusion drives.

[Pax Nerdvana]

This being said, if you are willing to stretch the definition a bit solar sails count as fusion drives.

Solar sails work too.

[Nakena]

NERVA is a thing though and feasible. The Nuclear Option.

Good video on the matter in case of interest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aBOhC1c6m8

But only powered by fission, as we have not yet actually figured out fusion power generation.

Something that was actually proposed, obviously never implemented.

I know.
But hope dies last.

NERVA is a thing though and feasible. The Nuclear Option.

Good video on the matter in case of interest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aBOhC1c6m8

NERVA is technically fission not fusion though.
So it would not qualify as a fusion drive.

Nuclear fission drives are the first step.

[Purpelia]

This being said, if you are willing to stretch the definition a bit solar sails count as fusion drives.

Solar sails work too.

To what end though? What are we trying to reach?

[Gordfield]

Solar sails work too.

To what end though? What are we trying to reach?

Didn’t we already send a probe into deep space with solar sails?
Edit: yeah a quick google search reveals a lot of launched craft with solar sails

[Stellar Colonies]

Hopefully this new plan isn't canceled and replaced with yet another one that would in turn be canceled and replaced.

If they are going to actually be able to do this once again, I'd be thrilled.

[Purpelia]

To what end though? What are we trying to reach?

Didn’t we already send a probe into deep space with solar sails?
Edit: yeah a quick google search reveals a lot of launched craft with solar sails

My question still stands. What is his end goal for this other than "because it's cool". Not that I can't get behind that but still.

[Novus America]

Hopefully this new plan isn't canceled and replaced with yet another one that would in turn be canceled and replaced.

If they are going to actually be able to do this once again, I'd be thrilled.

I would be thrilled too if they actually did it. But obviously the former is what is going to happen.

[Novus America]

But only powered by fission, as we have not yet actually figured out fusion power generation.


I know.
But hope dies last.

NERVA is technically fission not fusion though.
So it would not qualify as a fusion drive.

Nuclear fission drives are the first step.

Fair enough.

[Ethel mermania]

You do realize that the only thing qualifying as a "fusion drive" that our technology would allow is literally throwing fusion bombs out the back and riding the shockwave.

Something that was actually proposed, obviously never implemented.

Talk about surfing a wave.

[Telconi]

You do realize that the only thing qualifying as a "fusion drive" that our technology would allow is literally throwing fusion bombs out the back and riding the shockwave.

Something that was actually proposed, obviously never implemented.

Scale tests were done, the idea is sound if you don't mind leaving a path dotted with atomic fuckery behind you.

[Novus America]

Something that was actually proposed, obviously never implemented.

Talk about surfing a wave.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project ... propulsion)

[Purpelia]

Something that was actually proposed, obviously never implemented.

Scale tests were done, the idea is sound if you don't mind leaving a path dotted with atomic fuckery behind you.

It's space. The whole place is already as radioactive as its going to get thanks to that giant fusion reactor on fire spewing the nasties all round. And we can always build a launch pad in Chernobyl to cut on the surface damage.

[Katganistan]

This would be awesome if NASA actually does it.
But cost overruns, mission creep, excessive risk adversion and countless delays will probably mean we never get there.

NASA is a pale shadow of what it was unfortunately.

It cannot even put a man in space anymore.

It has to contract it out. Right now to the Russians.
Soon to US private companies.
But if it cannot even put a man in orbit I see little hope for the moon.

NASA needs a complete restructuring and change of organizational culture. And that is not easy.

NASA needs funding, is what it needs. Not being able to put a man there? Because it's not funded properly and they didn't get another space vehicle in place before mothballing the shuttle fleet.

They get less than 0.5% of the budget of the US folks. That's why it's been castrated, and that's why the idiots in charge of the Federal Government are saying privatize, let Virgin Space or Elon Musk do it.

[Novus America]

This would be awesome if NASA actually does it.
But cost overruns, mission creep, excessive risk adversion and countless delays will probably mean we never get there.

NASA is a pale shadow of what it was unfortunately.

It cannot even put a man in space anymore.

It has to contract it out. Right now to the Russians.
Soon to US private companies.
But if it cannot even put a man in orbit I see little hope for the moon.

NASA needs a complete restructuring and change of organizational culture. And that is not easy.

NASA needs funding, is what it needs. Not being able to put a man there? Because it's not funded properly and they didn't get another space vehicle in place before mothballing the shuttle fleet.

They get less than 0.5% of the budget of the US folks. That's why it's been castrated, and that's why the idiots in charge of the Federal Government are saying privatize, let Virgin Space or Elon Musk do it.

It is not just lack of money, it is also that they spend the money the do get badly.
Throwing money at the problem alone will not fix a broken organization.

Risk aversion and mission creep is a big problem.

It does way too much stuff with no good relation to aerospace exploration, and continues to prefer obsolete but known solutions rather than embracing new approaches.

[Katganistan]

NASA needs funding, is what it needs. Not being able to put a man there? Because it's not funded properly and they didn't get another space vehicle in place before mothballing the shuttle fleet.

They get less than 0.5% of the budget of the US folks. That's why it's been castrated, and that's why the idiots in charge of the Federal Government are saying privatize, let Virgin Space or Elon Musk do it.

It is not just lack of money, it is also that they spend the money the do get badly.
Throwing money at the problem alone will not fix a broken organization.

You keep saying that, but I don't see you backing it up. Just "they're bad, they can't, they're bad." Well, explain.

[Vetalia]

You keep saying that, but I don't see you backing it up. Just "they're bad, they can't, they're bad." Well, explain.

Look at the SLS fiasco, for one. $15 billion spent to date on a launch system that has inferior payload capacity vs. one designed over 50 years ago, which will maybe work 12 years after the project started, vs. the Saturn V which took 6 years using technology available in the early to mid 1960s.

[Aclion]

This being said, if you are willing to stretch the definition a bit solar sails count as fusion drives.

If you're willing to stretch the definition all energy sources count as fusion.

[Novus America]

It is not just lack of money, it is also that they spend the money the do get badly.
Throwing money at the problem alone will not fix a broken organization.

You keep saying that, but I don't see you backing it up. Just "they're bad, they can't, they're bad." Well, explain.

The SLS, which is not reusable despite reusable technology being available.

This.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.theatl ... cle/60148/

Maybe this quote
“One, he wanted me to help reinspire children to want to get into science and math; he wanted me to expand our international relationships; and third, and perhaps foremost, he wanted me to find a way to reach out to the Muslim world and engage much more with dominantly Muslim nations to help them feel good about their historic contribution to science, math, and engineering."

Or this paper
https://www.nationaljournal.com/s/60475

And it is not like the Russian space program is better funded either.
How can the Russians put men into space but NASA cannot?
Russia’s space program gets much less money.

Oh Space X has less money too yet builds better rockets. Explain that!

And I have explained. NASA needs to cut your the garbage. No studies of Ancient Rome, Muslim our reach or any extraneous crap like that. Cut all that and put the money towards space.
Stop looking at sticking to tried and true, but inefficient and obsolete technology.

NASA is a mess of an organization. I agree it is underfunded but it also needs to be completely restructured. Focused only on aerospace. Stop being so risk adverse. Stop wasting money on old obsolete projects when better options exist.

[Vetalia]

If you're willing to stretch the definition all energy sources count as fusion.

"We are all made of star stuff."

[Telconi]

You keep saying that, but I don't see you backing it up. Just "they're bad, they can't, they're bad." Well, explain.

Look at the SLS fiasco, for one. $15 billion spent to date on a launch system that has inferior payload capacity vs. one designed over 50 years ago, which will maybe work 12 years after the project started, vs. the Saturn V which took 6 years using technology available in the early to mid 1960s.

The Apollo program was also immensely expensive.

[Northern Saxonia]

It's going to be a military base to deter the Space Pirates