[extropy-chat] "Scientists feel stifled by Bush administration"-alternatives?

[Adrian Tymes]

--- Henrique Moraes Machado <hemm at openlink.com.br>
wrote:
> Shorter trips would be preferable (IMHO). Why not
> finally build those nuclear propelled spaceships?
> chemical rockets are crap.

Design and build a nuclear rocket that, even if it
explodes during liftoff (while airborne but not at
orbital speeds), will not scatter radioactivity all
over the ground (or, at least, the nuclear components
that reach the ground will contain their radioactive
material enough that they will be safe to approach
and, maybe after a few hours or so to cool down,
handle).  Do that, and perhaps stage some public
demonstrations by blowing up small scale versions of
it then wandering around the debris field with a
geiger counter, and you might be able to overcome the
public fear that keeps nuclear rockets from
deployment.  (Maybe a modification of the new pebble
bed reactors?)