New Mars Forums

More paranoia Wayne?,
Why not just answer the questions or provide a reasonable explanation dealing with the problems that Dingo has identified?

Well,
I am sorry to the other members if I triggered something here.  As a new member, I came here to discuss and learn, not to be attacked.

BTW, thank you Soph.

I have an interest in Project Orion insofar as I see a set of insurmountable challenges to it ever becoming a reality. Back in the "nuclear golden age" of the 50's and early 60's it might have sounded attractive, but today it is just a piece of cold war fantasy.

All I have done is post a set of questions that are necessary for any proponent of orion to have thought out answers to if there is even a tiny chance of any R&D being done.  Call it playing devil's advocate if you will.

I will admit, that I and others have raised the same questions before but they have never been satisfactorily answered.  But while there are people who continue to beat others over the head with it, then there needs to be a balanced opinion against it.

Wayne, if you cannot answer a very simple set of 7 practical questions to forward the idea of Orion, then what is the point in talking about it any further.

Rather than ranting and accusing other people of attacking the idea, surely it is better to go away and build up a strong case based on sound scientific and politically acceptable principles.

Otherwise, it is surely better to steer the discussion away from Orion and toward something that IS practical.

Archie

Woh,
check out the hostility.  If you come here to post in a reasonable manner then why start calling people names??  Did I call you a name??

Let me ask those questions again, since you obviously failed to understand them or are incapable of answering them.

1) Is this thing supposed to be a ground launch or orbital assembly?

Let's rephrase this one then, so that you can understand.  Are you proposing that a spacecraft known as the Orion vehicle that uses thermonuclear material as it's propellent be ground launched or do you propose that said vehicle be assembled in orbit.

2) If a ground launch, where do you propose to launch it from.

Clearly this is not the correct answer, would you care to mention an approximate geographical location where it would be safe for the nearest population and be politically and ecologically acceptable.

3) Give or take a few hundred tons, what is the expected mass of the Orion vehicle at take-off.

Thank you, a sensible answer.

4) If a ground launch, how many thermonuclear detonations will be required in the atmosphere.

I didn't ask about the Whitehouse, although I suggest that is a worthwhile use of 1,000 nuclear devices, but I asked about Orion.  Why do you find it necessary to be so sarcastic and agressive?? 

So, we are talking about a space vehicle having a mass of around 4,000 tons.  Could you be more specific about the quantity and yield of the thermonuclear devices required to put it into a high earth orbit.  Since this is a Mars forum, I don't see the connection with the moon.

5) If a ground launch, what happens to all the communication satellites once this thing gets to high altitude as a result of EMP.

So, we can expect that a launch would knock out a number of weather and communication satellites, is that correct.  Do we therefore assume that the country launching the Orion will compensate the owners?

6) If an orbital launch, please state a reasonable time frame for development, design and construction based on experiences with the ISS.

Why the sarcasm again?  The ISS is the largest project to date of any major orbiting assembly.  What is the current mass of the ISS, about 400 tons if memory serves.  The Orion craft that you have propsed is around 10 times larger.  Assuming that the political will were there to create such a monstrous waste of resources (which it clearly is not), it would take at least 10 times as much effort and time to accomplish.

7) If an orbital launch, please give an approximate number of conventional chemical launches required to complete assembly based on current and near future launch vehicles.

Well, yes since you are such an avid proponent of this fantasy ship, it would be nice to see some supporting information, otherwise what should we believe except that it is indeed a schoolboy fantasy.

Why should I post a "fervent froth of hatred" although by re-reading your post I would seem entitled to.  I ask a set of reasonable questions but you obviously carry a chip on your shoulder.

Also, you claim I have been "told this by moderators at other boards".  Please provide some links to back that up.  It is not wise to make personal attacks and post lies about a member at any forums unless you can back it up.  Doing so will get you banned. 

But you would already know that, having been banned by Space.Com on numerous occasions for spamming and posting porn, banned by Everythng Space, then came back to hack into a personal email account to exact your revenge, banned by Sciforums.Com under several user names for impersonating people, and posting personal information, and yes, even having been banned by NuclearSpace at EZboards since your hack attack of EverythingSpace because they wanted to disown you..  And don't confront me on this because you know very well I can post the links in an instant to back-up what I say as truth.

Anyhow, no need for nastyness, why don't you have the courtesy to answer the remaining five unanswered questions.

Archie