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From: @S1-A.ARPA,@MIT-MC:METH@USC-ISI.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Nuclear Rockets
Message-ID: <1861@mordor.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 17-May-85 13:31:21 EDT
Article-I.D.: mordor.1861
Posted: Fri May 17 13:31:21 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 19-May-85 06:32:45 EDT
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From: METH@USC-ISI.ARPA

     You hit the reasons right on the nose.  Several space nuclear 
propulsion programs (NERVA,  KIWI,  RBR) were cancelled because of 
the   fear  (political  rather  than  technical,   I  suspect)  of 
transporting large amounts of nuclear material into space.  

     There  is a revitalized interest in space nuclear  power,  if 
not propulsion.   The SP-100 program,  initially funded by  DARPA, 
NASA, and DOE was looking at such concepts (as well as non-nuclear 
ones)  for  100kW(e).   I believe that has transitioned  to  SDIO.  
SDI/SLKT  (Survivability,  Lethality,  and  Key Technologies)  and 
SDI/IST (Innovative Science and Technology) offices are interested 
in  such  power sources.  DOE is sponsoring a New  and  Innovative 
Concepts program (PRDA DE-RA03-85SF15622) which also includes  new 
space  power (including nuclear) concepts.   Many of the new space 
nuclear power concepts could be used for propulsion.

-Sheldon Meth
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