Nuclear ground-orbit vehicle

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by gjc8

Reasonably safe for crew and passengers, less so for everyone else. There isn't an easy way to keep nuclear drives from spewing radioactive debris everywhere. There maybe some tricks to reduce damage, but it's probably still a major hazard if you use it regularly.

Maybe not.

Back in the 60s they deliberately blew up an operating NERVA prototype on an outside testing ground just to see how bad it would be. Ah, the unregulated days of yesteryear.

The results don't seem to have been particularly bad. Probably quite a bit like the hypothetical terrorist "dirty bombs". Scary but not actually any worse than equivalent high explosive (or in this case, having a big fast-moving thing fall on you).