[extropy-chat] balloon stations at the edge of space

[Adrian Tymes]

--- Mike Lorrey <mlorrey at yahoo.com> wrote:
> I've got a better idea: combine this balloon idea
> with Orion. Ride the
> balloon to above 100,000 feet and cruise to open
> ocean, then, using the
> gas envelope as a shock cushion (you've got your
> orbital ship on top,
> your bomb on the bottom, or, better, ship at the
> nose, bomb at the
> tail) set off your nuke. This should give you a huge
> boost toward orbit
> while your fallout should mostly settle in the ocean
> in a highly
> dispersed manner, thus greatly reducing even
> incidental health risks.

Nice try; doesn't fly.  "They're POISONING the OCEAN!"
for example.  You'd need to either get the radioactive
material completely out of Earth's atmosphere
(including potential fallout from the detonation), or
reduce the political opposition, before using Orion.