A Conversation for Travelling to the Stars
fusion drives and antimatter
xyroth Posted Jun 30, 2002
While I agree that this shouldn't be advocating any particular methodology of getting to any particular place, there is a piece of history relating to mars direct that is relevant.
Nuclear thermal engines were being discussed. because the big ship design people had the clout at nasa, only suggestions relevent to the big ship design were allowed to get through to the congress.
By the time the 90 day report had been fully killed, the smaller engines which would have been relevent to mars direct were not doable because the funding requests were irreperably tainted by the big ship debarcle.
Mars direct is designed from the outset as a minimalist method of getting to mars, so although it can use bigger engines and newer technologies, it doesn't fundamentally alter the plan.
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fusion drives and antimatter
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