Roth's Nuclear Space Cruiser

Popular Mechanics ^ | FR Post 6-16-02 | BY JIM WILSON

[vannrox]

Nuclear Space Cruiser

BY JIM WILSON

Ideas for using nuclear-fuel-powered interplanetary spacecraft have stirred the imaginations of designers outside of NASA. Perhaps the most ambitious plan has been offered by Fred Roth. A Florida resident, Roth has spent five years attempting to interest the Pentagon in building his massive Nuclear Space Cruiser, to protect the planet from errant asteroids and unforeseen threats.


Roth's cruiser (design plans shown at right) would resemble a flattened child's top. Assembled in space, it would stand 650 ft. tall and have a 9000-ft. circumference. The massive interior is needed, he says, to house a nuclear reactor and a system of ducts that function as 700 particle accelerators.



<"The proton beams emerging out of the ship's 30-mile cyclotron accelerator system give the ship tremendous lift, direction and great velocity," he says. The reactor would also energize banks of lasers.


Roth has provided the Pentagon with detailed plans, but so far there has been no official interest.





,img src="http://popularmechanics.com/science/space/2002/6/nuclear_space_cruiser/images/lg_space_sideview-lg.jpg" border=1>

[Billy_bob_bob]

Shoot, that don't look any fancier than the drawin' my cousin Cletus done drew up of an electric space pinwheel that he claims abducted him and his pal Walter.

Personally, I think they were just drunk.

[Bogey78O]

Wow. Nearly 1 and 3/4 miles in diameter. If we start building it today we might have it done by the time I'm ready to retire.

[Bogey78O]

One thing though. You don't need lift in outer space.

[Rebelbase]

Nuclear Space Cruiser my ass!

[xrp]

Bah!

[RippleFire]

That's what I was thinking too. Can they only afford illustrators for the covers?

[Mo1]

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[monday]

"One thing though. You don't need lift in outer space."

As long as orbital velocity is maintained you don't, but gravity works just as well in space as it doe's here on earth. Lift or "thrust" is very necessary.

[Bogey78O]

Lift and thrust are two different things.

[monday]

"Lift and thrust are two different things. "

LOL...not the way he used the term. You are perhaps thinking of aerodynamic lift. I believe he was referring to lift via a particle accelerator propulsion system. This would produce lift using thrust.

From the article: "The proton beams emerging out of the ship's 30-mile cyclotron accelerator system give the ship tremendous lift, "

Don't know how you could produce aerodynamic lift using one of those?

[spetznaz]

Does it also pack photon torpedoes and death rays? Haha.

[anymouse]

I've met PM writer, Jim Wilson. I'm surprised that he would waste his time and reputation on this junk science. PM has gone down hill since I read it as a kid. PopSci was always a bit more serious and informative anyway.

[inquest]

Anyone have any idea what kind of acceleration this thing could generate?

[Jack Hydrazine]

I’d like to see a nuclear powered copy of the Titanic like the one in Doctor Who.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4pdqE5kl7s&feature=fvst
You’ll see it at 1:50 and then again at 2:42.