Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!houxm!hogpc!houti!ariel!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!hplabs!sri-unix!mcgeer%ucbkim@Berkeley
From: mcgeer%ucbkim@Berkeley@sri-unix.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: Illegality of NERVA's??!!
Message-ID: <12757@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 23-Aug-84 20:15:49 EDT
Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.12757
Posted: Thu Aug 23 20:15:49 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 30-Aug-84 01:15:43 EDT
Lines: 12

From:  Rick McGeer (on an aaa-60-s) <mcgeer%ucbkim@Berkeley>

	Who said anything about nuclear explosions???  NERVA was to use a
	reactor to have fuel burn, achieving an exhaust temperature much
	higher than ordinary rockets, thus giving a larger specific impulse.

That's why the legality of NERVA is questionable.  Project Orion, which does
(did?) involve nuclear explosions, is clearly illegal.   I understand that
the treaty language is sufficiently vague that nuclear reactors, as well as
explosions, may be illegal.

							Rick.