Non-nuclear Orion Style Drive planet habitat module

[Ben88012]

Hello I am looking for a substitute for the nuclear war head in an Orion drive rocket.

the main reason for this is I want to launch a probe controlled (during launch) habitat module of ridiculous proportions into space or possibly land it on the moon.

money will be a main factor in this project of mine so I will want an estimate of the total cost (including habitat frame of various sizes)

the charges for the engine can be of various shapes and sizes/types (EX: liquid/solids) for maximum efficiency

if possible I want 3D models / animations but pencil drawings will work if they are relatively neat.

consider structural integrity people!

but otherwise good luck and may the games begin

 

Ps: this needs to be able to work

 

if all else fails I will make reference to the military for help/suggestions.

Edited April 6, 2017 by Ben88012

[Raider5678]

Hello I am looking for a substitute for the nuclear war head in an Orion drive rocket.

the main reason for this is I want to launch a probe controlled (during launch) habitat module of ridiculous proportions into space or possibly land it on the moon.

money will be a small factor in this project of mine so I will want an estimate of the total cost (including habitat frame of various sizes)

the charges for the engine can be of various shapes and sizes/types (EX: liquid/solids) for maximum efficiency

if possible I want 3D models / animations but pencil drawings will work if they are relatively neat.

consider structural integrity people!

but otherwise good luck and may the games begin

 

Ps: this needs to be able to work

 

if all else fails I will make reference to the military for help/suggestions.

 

Money's not an issue?

What job do you have?

[Ben88012]

I don't I have a job yet I just want an estimated amount for this project I might get government funding if I'm lucky

This is mainly a proof of concept build that may go into production for the future

[Lord Antares]

 

money will be a small factor in this project of mine

 

 

Really? Money will be a small factor in building a habitable rocket which you will fly to the moon?

[Ben88012]

i under estimated the cost so I switched small factor to main factor

Edited April 6, 2017 by Ben88012

[Raider5678]

i under estimated the cost so I switched small factor to main factor

You're still in the tens of billions for just production costs, let alone the research, design, and testing phase.

You're easily looking at 100 billion here. And that's theoretical.

We could put a a hundred thousand people on mars in 10 years with 100 billion.

We have better things to spend money on.

[Lord Antares]

Yes, 100 billion was my estimate as well.

I find it unlikely that you have that kind of money lying around the house...

 

You might have undershot the estimates a tad bit.

[Ben88012]

if we can put a factory on the moon it could lower costs of space exploration in the long run

[Lord Antares]

And how much will building a factory on the moon cost?

[Ben88012]

And how much will building a factory on the moon cost?

 

somewhere in the hundreds of billions

assuming that we can get a mining colony for ores

costs can be paid by production of bigger and bigger facilities on the moon

as well as reducing the fuel costs dramatically to put ships in orbit

as long as said fuel is made on the moon

Edited April 6, 2017 by Ben88012

[Ben88012]

i have thought of an alterninatave

what if we use an onboard laser system to completely vaporize large slugs of metal that at periodically dropped behind the craft?

it would be a safer alternative to having large explosive charges that might explode

[Raider5678]

i have thought of an alterninatave

what if we use an onboard laser system to completely vaporize large slugs of metal that at periodically dropped behind the craft?

it would be a safer alternative to having large explosive charges that might explode

Find the laser that can do that, and sell it to the military.

[Moontanman]

i have thought of an alterninatave

what if we use an onboard laser system to completely vaporize large slugs of metal that at periodically dropped behind the craft?

it would be a safer alternative to having large explosive charges that might explode

 

 

Cost is a major factor but non nuclear explosions will not do the job, chemical rockets barely do it and they are more energetic than any chemical explosive like Nitroglycerine. Lasers vaporizing metals would less energetic and if you can do that why not use the lasers to ignite a fusion in a pellet of deuterium?

Find the laser that can do that, and sell it to the military.

 

 

Don't look now but the military already has lasers than can shoot down artillery shells...

[Ben88012]

the main problem with fusion pelets is the cost for each pellet

using the method I proposed you could use anything from dirt to non-recyclable waste

you could use asteroids directly with minimal refining and it would also work in atmosphere

​as long as you vaporize enough "slugs" per second to achieve lift

we also have the technology to do it right now

[Raider5678]

 

 

Cost is a major factor but non nuclear explosions will not do the job, chemical rockets barely do it and they are more energetic than any chemical explosive like Nitroglycerine. Lasers vaporizing metals would less energetic and if you can do that why not use the lasers to ignite a fusion in a pellet of deuterium?

 

 

Don't look now but the military already has lasers than can shoot down artillery shells...

Link?

I believe you, but I'm curious to the extent of it's power.