nuclear space engine - would it work ??

In article ,
"Danny Dot" wrote:

As a retired engineer, I don't see how nuclear explosions could be used for
launches. The blast would tend to distroy the vehicle and anyone inside of
the vehicle.

After the Trinity test at Alamagordo (and some above-ground test later
on) parts of the tower structure that held the device remained. And some
shielded test gear within about 100yds of the device also survived the
blast.

On orbit, a nuclear explosion may not even provide a impulse via blast.
Without an atmosphere, I don't think there would be an impulse of force.
Huge amount of heat in the form of radiation, but no blast overpressure.

Which is OK, since the atmosphere isn't needed to produce the thrust.
The thrusters would have been surrounded with a jacket of water or wax
(for example), and the plasma produced provides the thrust.

Not hugely efficient, maybe, with plasma being wasted on each pop; but
who cares when the total energy being produced is so much over the top
of your requirements, not to mention any chemical alternatives.

Google around for "Orion nuclear rocket". Lots of stuff, including
proof-of-concept tests.

But a nuclear reactor with hydrogen of even water being boiled and heated
then expelled out a nozzle would make a good rocket engine.

Easy (relatively). The NERVA test engine was running in the 1960s.
Northwind is a more recent notion.

Politics stopped their use; until you can convince the Greenies that it
would be safe enough to put the (cold) engine in orbit before fueling
and lighting it off, we won't see any.