[Ultra-Tech] Mini-nuke TL

[RogerBW]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

I don't think Project Orion was planning to use exceptionally small bombs.

The excellent Project Orion (George Dyson) gives various suggestions, but something like 300-1,000 lb with ~1kt nominal yield seems to have been the most popular.

[Verjigorm]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

I don't think Project Orion was planning to use exceptionally small bombs.

Orion isn't Nuclear Pulse. I mean, it *is*, but the NPDs mentioned in spaceship are using minaturized pellets. I think I've seen proposals for minaturized deuterium and..lithium I think? Either way, they're little pellets that are used to trigger small fusion pulses.

[Michael Thayne]

Originally Posted by Verjigorm

Orion isn't Nuclear Pulse. I mean, it *is*, but the NPDs mentioned in spaceship are using minaturized pellets. I think I've seen proposals for minaturized deuterium and..lithium I think? Either way, they're little pellets that are used to trigger small fusion pulses.

In Spaceships, "nuclear pulse" is a category that includes both Orion and fusion pulse.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by Verjigorm

Orion isn't Nuclear Pulse. I mean, it *is*, but the NPDs mentioned in spaceship are using minaturized pellets. I think I've seen proposals for minaturized deuterium and..lithium I think? Either way, they're little pellets that are used to trigger small fusion pulses.

Spaceships' "Reaction Engine, Nuclear Pulse" category includes Orion as its first entry. It also includes the drives you are referring to as fusion pulse drives.

Fusion pulse drive fuel pellets (unlike Orion drive pulse units) are not self-contained bombs. They're basically inert on their own. Other components of the drive (lasers or antimatter beams are suggested) act on them to induce fusion. To make a FPD fuel pellet into a mininuke you need to add a vastly miniaturized triggering system, as Rupert previously noted.

[Verjigorm]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

Spaceships' "Reaction Engine, Nuclear Pulse" category includes Orion as its first entry. It also includes the drives you are referring to as fusion pulse drives.

Fusion pulse drive fuel pellets (unlike Orion drive pulse units) are not self-contained bombs. They're basically inert on their own. Other components of the drive (lasers or antimatter beams are suggested) act on them to induce fusion. To make a FPD fuel pellet into a mininuke you need to add a vastly miniaturized triggering system, as Rupert previously noted.

My bad guys, I was confusing the category of Nuclear Pulse Drives with Fusion Pulse Drive.

But yeah, the point I was going for is that these technologies are linked in that they concentrate on miniaturizing a nuclear reaction.