Nuclear ground-orbit vehicle

[raniE]

Originally Posted by tratclif

According to Aerospace Projects Review V2 N1, the engine designers were never able to prevent the engine elements from eroding off dust-to-sand-size particles, so the Pluto would have left a "noticeable" radioactive trail.

Can one assume that such problems would be fixable? Using TL9 fission technology that is.

[malloyd]

Originally Posted by raniE

Can one assume that such problems would be fixable? Using TL9 fission technology that is.

I'm sure they are. One possible solution for some versions of TL9 is coat the entire air passage in diamond layer. That's not going to abrade off easily, and carbon doesn't neutron activate easily anyway.