Project Orion

: This article is about Project Orion the spacecraft propulsion project. For the laser broom project, see Laser broom

Related Topics:
Spacecraft propulsion - Laser broom

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Project Orion was the first engineering design for a spacecraft powered by nuclear pulse propulsion, an idea first proposed by Stanislaw Ulam in 1947. The project was led by a team at General Atomics in the 1950s. The design appeared to offer capabilities well in excess of even the most advanced conventional or nuclear rocket engines then under study, making routine interplanetary travel a possibility.

Related Topics:
Spacecraft - Nuclear pulse propulsion - Stanislaw Ulam - General Atomics

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Orion works by dropping a nuclear bomb behind the vehicle, detonating it at close range, and catching as much of the blast as possible with a thick steel 'pusher plate'. Large shock absorbers (pneumatic springs) absorb the impulse from the pusher plate, giving a smooth ride to the rest of the vehicle. Each blast adds roughly 30 mph (13 m/s) to the craft's velocity. Oil is sprayed on the pusher plate before each explosion to prevent ablation of the pusher plate. This sequence is repeated thousands of times until the necessary speed has been gained.

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