Nuclear pulse propulsion

Not to be confused with Pulsed nuclear thermal rocket.
An artist's conception of the Project Orion "basic" spacecraft, powered by nuclear pulse propulsion.

Nuclear pulse propulsion or external pulsed plasma propulsion is a hypothetical method of spacecraft propulsion that uses nuclear explosions for thrust.[1] It originated as Project Orion with support from DARPA, after a suggestion by Stanislaw Ulam in 1947.[2] Newer designs using inertial confinement fusion have been the baseline for most later designs, including Project Daedalus and Project Longshot.

  1. ^ Bonometti, Joseph A.; P. Jeff Morton. "External Pulsed Plasma Propulsion (EPPP) Analysis Maturation" (PDF). NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. Retrieved December 24, 2008.
  2. ^ "History of Project Orion". The Story of Orion. 2008–2009.