Gaseous Core Nuclear Thermal Rocket

[cjackson]

http://www.projectrho.com/rocket/enginelist.php#id--Gaseous_Core_Nuclear_Thermal_Rocket

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_core_reactor_rocket

How practical would this be? How much of a technological leap would be needed to achieve this?

Would it make outer solar system missions possible?

Could the technology be used for non space applications?

I bring this up because Discovery One from 2001: A Space Odyssey apparently uses something like this.

 

[QuantumPion]

Well we managed to build a fully operational solid core nuclear thermal rocket in the 50's. A closed-cycle gas core reactor is within our capability today I think, if we wanted to. I would guess that any manned mission to Mars would use either nuclear thermal or nuclear electric.

 

[raining Pete]

The concept of a gaseous core nuclear thermal rocket is definitely an interesting one. It has the potential to greatly increase the efficiency and power of space travel, making outer solar system missions more feasible. However, there are some challenges and technological leaps that would need to be made in order to make this a practical reality.

One of the main challenges would be in developing a nuclear reactor that is capable of withstanding the extreme temperatures and pressures of a rocket engine. The reactor would also need to be able to efficiently convert the energy from the nuclear reactions into thrust. This would require a significant advancement in nuclear technology and materials science.

In addition, there are also concerns about the safety and regulation of such a technology, as it involves the use of nuclear materials on a spacecraft. This would need to be carefully addressed in order to ensure the safety of both the astronauts and the environment.

As for its potential use in non-space applications, it is possible that this technology could also have applications in power generation or propulsion for large ships. However, the development and implementation of this technology would likely be focused primarily on space travel.

The use of this technology in the fictional spacecraft Discovery One from 2001: A Space Odyssey is certainly intriguing, but it should be noted that the technology portrayed in the film is still far beyond our current capabilities. It is a testament to the imagination and creativity of science fiction writers, but it may take many more years of research and development before we see a gaseous core nuclear thermal rocket in action.