In the late ’50s and ’60s, the idea of combining nuclear power and space travel was considered cool and wonderful. The US government-sponsored Project Orion and engineer Dandridge Cole proposed ambitious nuclear-powered spaceships like the Aldebaran concept. Cole envisioned massive vehicles carrying heavy payloads into orbit or landing cargo on the Moon, far exceeding the capabilities of today’s rockets. The Aldebaran would have taken off from the ocean and used nuclear explosions to heat air for propulsion. Despite being ahead of its time, the concept was not pursued due to concerns about nuclear fallout. This ambitious idea remains a dream from the past.
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