2min chapter

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#356 – Tim Dodd: SpaceX, Starship, Rocket Engines, and Future of Space Travel

Lex Fridman Podcast

CHAPTER

The Challenges of Nuclear Propulsion

For getting off Earth, you'll always want to use chemical propulsion because the gas would come irradiated. The thrust-away ratio of these engines are relatively poor and have a nuclear reactor like they're not. I don't think we're gonna be in general travel. But then you get into like nuclear pulse drives and things where you're literally like basically ejecting a bomb out the back of your rocket and exploding. It's not breaking any laws of physics. And, you know, I just don't see us getting to that need anytime soon.

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