Orion models in detail #1 880 ton Orbital Test Vehicle

On page 55 of Project Orion 4 1959 ship designs are described in detail.


The first is the 880 ton Orbital Test Vehicle

ISP: 3000-6000 sec : Research cause of variation by factor of 2.
Plate diameter 80 ft
Acceleration: 2 g
Frequency: .5 to 1 hertz
Vacuum yield: .8 - 3 kt : Variation by a factor of 4, 2 squared.
Theory- pulse focus was uncertain in '59, later plate capture estimates were 60%.
So this design varied from 30% to 60% capture with '59 pulse units, later designs would allow 60+% capture.

Sea level yield: 30 tons
Loft to 125,000 ft. yield 20 kt. (Calculate yield curve)
Yield to Orbit: .45 MT to 1.8 MT
430 KT / 600 Pulses = .71 kt each <- We'll use this size for analysis.
1.78 MT / 600 Pulses = 3 kt each

16.6 m/s pulse

880 tons total
370 tons bare propulsion
300 tons payload to orbit
210 tons pulse units
525 Lbs each
47.6 (m/s) / ton

170 tons to Luna
42.3 (m/s) / ton

80 tons to lunar surface and back
50 (m/s) / ton

50 m/s / ton / 16.6 m/s/ pulse unit = 664 lbs per vacuum pulse unit

800 * 525 lbs = 210 tons
600 * 664 lbs + 200 * x lbs = 210 tons = 420,000 lbs
200 * x lbs = 21,600 lbs
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x = 108 lbs per sea level pulse ( only air as propellant)
Implied ISP about 15,800 seconds.
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On orbit the 670 ton ship has 4.87 kt. of energy.

Thrust Into Space excerpt #3

"
Rocket Fundamentals
The highest velocity a man can attain by running is 32 feet per second (fps)... relying primarily on his muscles... bow 350 fps. A typical high velocity gun, such as ... German WWI "Paris gun" achieves ...3500 feet per second.
...ICBM... 23,000 fps...esacpe from earth...36,700 fps...escape from the solar system ... 54,600 fps".- Page 7

New chart based on text.

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Excerpt #1 and links to other excerpts

Problems with Problems With The Orion Spacecraft #8, Design for Survival Extract #4

Myth: "WHAT IF SOMEONE ELSE BUILT IT?
... The necessary research ... obstacle(s), since nobody else had as ... many scientists(as the US)". - POS
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Fact:"Vast new research and devlopment centers were created in record time, supplemented by swiftly expanding industrial facilities for the production of advanced military materiel. To esure a continuous and adequate supply of scientists and engineers, the Soviets initiated what soon became the most elaborate and productive educational program of its kind in the world.

Because of this unparalleled program, the quantity and quality of college graduates in Russia, especially in the engineering and related sciences, increased steadily, in contrast to those in most coutries in th Free World. Large numbers of Russian youth were induced to choose engineering or allied careers through "selective compulsion" if necessary, but mailnly through early indoctrination and appealing incentives, such as liberal stipends, awards and bonuses, and the prospect of professional prestige and social position.

In addition, the Soviets established and advanced educational system for improving the technical qualifications of their military personnel. The scope and thouroughness of this system were impressed on me when I inspected the famous Zhukovski Ait Engineering Academy in Moscow during my trip to Russia in 1956. We learned that this academy has some 2,500 students- all Air Force officers, ranking from lieutenant to major - who underwent a five year course of considerable bredth and depth".

-Thomas S. Power's Design for Survival page 48

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Index of Power
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Index of problems with POS

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Wait a minute! www.alternatehistory.com, 8b how many scientists would a victorious German Empire have?
8b Victorious Japanese Empire
8c Unified British Empire (with India and America)
8c Victorious Napoleonic Empire
8d Unified Europe
8e Modernized Ottoman Empire
....

Thrust Into Space excerpt #2

"The question is whether the future of space exploration is merely to provide an expensive playground for select scientists and astronauts, as most people currenly think, or whether it is to provide a vastly expanded domain for the entire human race, adding whole planets as the new worlds of the future".

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page 3
Thrust Into Space published 1966 by Maxwell W. Hunter II
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Excerpt #1 and links to other excerpts

Thrust Into Space excerpt #1

"But it is inadequate propulsion-nothing else-which has limited the human race to one planet thus far. "
page 3
Thrust Into Space published 1966 by Maxwell W. Hunter II


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Excerpt #2
Excerpt #3
Excerpt Pg .14