Tim Lamb wrote:
In message
,
Tim+ writes
Tim Lamb wrote:
In message , Martin Brown
writes
On 17/02/2021 12:51, Steve Walker wrote:
On 17/02/2021 11:16, Jethro_uk wrote:

I wonder what the possibilities are of getting to build some sort of base
on one side of an asteroid, and fire fusion bombs on the other to create
thrust. (Anyone remember Space 1999 ?)
Many years ago one of the well known science fiction writers (I
can't recall which) wrote a story involving large "rockets" with
massively thick bases, powered by repeatedly dropping and detonating
atom bombs under the bases.

Heinlein but it was seriously proposed and examined as Project Orion at
one point when it was nuclear ppowered everything in fashion.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Projec...ear_propulsion)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_pulse_propulsion

Apart from the radioactive fallout it was a plausible scheme.

ISTR there is a video somewhere of a scalemodel mockup powered by
dropping conventional high explosives out of the back. Here :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8Sv5y6iHUM

The ones about half way through are as good as it gets!

Sailing the solar wind has legs but getting back could be a problem.



Tacking. After all, its what sailing ships do to go upwind... ;-)

I don't think it works without a medium to stop the vessel being pushed
sideways. A big keel won't do much in a vacuum.


Good point. ;-)

Tim

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