An Obstacle to Interplanetary Exploration

[emudude]

Energy density is the name of the game when considering different propulsion methods for space vehicles. To date, the most efficient and powerful systems are nuclear fission and fusion based energy. Nuclear-based space propulsion has been in scientific literature internationally since the mid 1950s, and yet we haven't seen any physical research into using these systems...the reason we are having difficulty using international expertise to develop comprehensive nuclear space propulsion systems is, as many of you have already pointed out in another thread, the Partial Test Ban Treaty, ratified in 1963. While its intentions were in the interests of the environment and in world peace, the treaty has proven devastating for nuclear rocket designs because they are, in fact, in a massive gray area.

Just as it was difficult to discern whether the North Korean rocket launch was for satellite or missile testing, so it is difficult to argue that a rocket utilizing the immense forces generated by fusion or fission reactions is not going to be used as a weapon. I propose that we lobby our local governments to modify this treaty to allow for a fully international science team to pursue research in the creation of space vehicles using nuclear rocket technology, as solar panels just aren't energy dense enough to provide a meaningful push to our growing space industries. Just as treaties such as the Outer Space Treaty identify space as the province of mankind as a whole, we should take a similar step with this research and push the frontiers of space exploration together, with mutual respect and trust.

 

[JasonChapman]

I absolutely one hundred percent whole heartedly agree with every single word you have written there, bloody bureaucrats and their treaties.

Let’s be extremely clear about the whole nuclear arms thing. If you’re a tin pot dictator what is your number one goal? To stay in power. You will do more or less anything to oppress the poor inhabitants of your country if it keeps you at the top. One day you get your hands on shiny but old Soviet nuclear warhead. So there you are staring at this nuke thinking, you know what, I don’t like the leader of that country next door, think I’ll drop this bomb on his capital city to show him who’s boss. So you lob your Nuke over the neighbour’s garden fence and it causes death and destruction on an unprecedented scale. So there you are pleased with yourself as supreme ruler over all you survey when your chief of staff comes up to you with a worried expression on his face.
‘What is wrong my humble servant?’ You ask.
‘Oh great one’ He grovels on his knees. ‘You are indeed most powerful, after that glorious victory over that godless heathen next door. But I am horrified to tell you that our radar tracking stations have just picked up a few dozen US and coalition bombers heading for our airspace’
And then the air raid siren sounds.

I don’t think that guy who has just been allegedly re-elected in Iran and the tin pots running North Korea are stupid enough to launch anything. Any idiot dictator knows that if they get their hands on a nuke and lob it somewhere, all that will be left of their country is a hole in the ground.

We live in such a distrusting world and it is this very reason that is slowing our progress. All these technologies that are in development have to take a back seat because of our dependency on oil. And some technologies which could benefit space travel as you pointed out and advance our space travel by decades have been around since the sixties. It’s such a shame.

I’m waiting for Richard Branson to get his space tourist program off the ground. I’m telling you when that launches everyone will want a piece of space, it’ll encourage rival companies to start up their own space programs. It’ll make the race for the moon back in the sixties look like an egg and spoon race. Hopefully anyway.