Way back in 1955 a then secret project set out to build an aircraft which could fly indefinitely, never needing power. How so you ask? By using a nuclear reactor powered jet engine. In fact the aircraft concept was called the NB-36 and it was built with a 10,000 lb lead bulkhead to shield the pilots from radiation. Originally the aircraft would have spewed radiation out the back and then some brilliant scientists came up with a heat conversion process using liquid metal which allowed the nuclear reactor to remain in a closed loop system heating the liquid metal which was used to spin a turbine jet engine. The new design was contracted with GE to build the engine although they did not know what the engine was to be used for. It was to be what would be called the Convair B-36 WS125, (weapons system 125), a project which would eventually be cancelled. Perfect for the cold war, never needing fuel with unlimited range. Something we will need for our future exploratory spacecraft, which may be used for generations and cannot simply stop to re-fuel you see? The USSR was said to have build during this past period the Soviet Bounder supposedly Atomic-Nuclear Powered Aircraft as they were having difficulty building an aircraft, which could reach the United States. There aircraft during that time were extremely heavy and huge gas hogs. Could it be possible to build a nuclear aircraft-space craft. Better yet since there is radiation in space already and it is problematic for space flight (human life), why not hook up a system to collect the radiation waves, modify them to a specific resonance and use that as energy thru heat exchangers to power up a specific propulsion system. How could this be done? Perhaps with an energy sphere pointed in the direction of the highest consistency of space radiation coming in, which would be attached to a pole with runners or stringers to the corners of the space craft collecting all the radiation energy which would normally hit the space craft. The pole and the runner system could be made of high-tech nano carbon tubes. The premise of the engine would be similar to the WS125 project, but would fire up a different sort of motor. Consider this in 2006. |
