• Question: Is nuclear physics the way to perect space travel or is it something else like orion technology that will be the answer?

    Asked by u12laversb to Simon, Dilwar on 20 Nov 2013.
    • Photo: Dilwar Hussain

      Dilwar Hussain answered on 20 Nov 2013:

      I don’t know much about Orion technology but nuclear is a great option. There are some deep space probes that NASA have sent that use plutonium as the energy source for the probe moving. That’s because plutonium is radioactive and gives off heat. That heat is converted to electricity by an on-board generator which provides the energy going forward. The best thing is you only need a very small amount of plutonium (1-4kg) to last you more than 88 years!, which saves a lot of space, and money to using normal fuel. Imagine how much fuel you’ll need to keep your car going for 88 straight years without stopping.

    • Photo: Simon Langley-Evans

      Simon Langley-Evans answered on 20 Nov 2013:

      Isn’t Orion the idea that you could launch a spacecraft by exploding nuclear bombs under a huge metal plate and then riding on the shockwave? Or have a got that wrong?

      There have been some space probes launched which use a solar sail. This is a big panel which catches the particles of the solar wind and these push the ship along, just like a sailing boat. It works well, but takes a long time to reach a fast speed. No fuel is needed once the craft is in space and out of Earth orbit

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