SINGLE-STAGE SPACESHIPS SHOULD BE OUR GOAL
The ultimate vehicle for manned space travel within the solar system was considered to be the high-performance single-stage spaceship---a vehicle that could travel from earth to points in space and back time after time. If the performance of single-stage rockets can be made high enough, one can begin to think of reusing equipment exactly as in transport airplane practice. The prospects for a practical gaseous fission rocket have brightened with the recent invention of a new family of systems that operates on a basically different principle. The propellant is heated by radiation from the fission plasma, rather than by direct intermixing. Several such systems were suggested. Safety factors were considered to make operation of a spaceship propelled by a gaseous-fission engine safe. (C.E.S.)
- Research Organization:
- National Aeronautics and Space Council, Washington, D.C.
- NSA Number:
- NSA-17-012038
- OSTI ID:
- 4763102
- Journal Information:
- Nucleonics (U.S.) Ceased publication, Vol. Vol: 21; Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-63
- Country of Publication:
- Country unknown/Code not available
- Language:
- English
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