Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watdragon!watyew!jdnicoll
From: jdnicoll@watyew.waterloo.edu (Brian or James)
Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: Re: booster pollution
Message-ID: <19853@watdragon.waterloo.edu>
Date: 16 Jan 90 19:03:11 GMT
References: <15378@boulder.Colorado.EDU> <1990Jan6.060300.13029@utzoo.uucp> <19846@watdragon.waterloo.edu>
Sender: daemon@watdragon.waterloo.edu
Lines: 29


  *Sigh* Sorry about the previous posting. Some important sentences got 
lost on the way to posting. Let's try this again...

	As well as the chlorine problem, I remember concern about possible
side-effects caused due to NOx compounds produced by boosters. While I
realise that the exhaust from a (for example) hydrogen-oxygen fueled booster
would primarily H2O, would there be significant amounts of other compounds
produced, either from incomplete combustion of the fuel, or chemical reactions
between atmospheric gasses caused by the admittedly transient presence of the
several thousand degree exhaust? Again, from my rather dim memory, I recall 
reports of large, temporary holes in the ozone layer forming after launches.
I don't know if these reports were verified.
	Other, more energetic boosters could have some *really* interesting
side effects. Orion would have caused some additional cancer deaths if it had
ever been used as a launching system. Because of the environment Orion was
designed in (pre Atmospheric Test Ban USA), these additional deaths were
felt to be acceptable (and probably difficult, if not impossible, to 
detect against the normal cancer rate.). Perhaps France can replace Arianne
with Orion :). 
	SF authors use nuclear drives with a charming disregard for safety
(And often physics, as well.). I recall one author whose protagonist said
something akin to "OK, we're over the 'burbs. Turn on the photon drive."
I suspect the author had *no* idea just how much energy the 'thinly populated'
suburbs were about to receive. No wonder they were thinly populated!
	As yet another aside, would there have been any EMP related side
effects from Orion?  
								James Nicoll