A few thoughts on The Nuclear Rocket

Didn't exactly finish the book.  But I've been thinking about it.

A few thoughts and observations to share here:

• The name "NucRocCorp" should be changed to Nu Rocket Corporation.  Image is everything.  A name like that will relegate you to obscurity.  A name with "new" in it will help it out some.
• The corporation will be like a GSE ( Government Sponsored Entity), which may be a good thing or a bad thing depending upon your perspective.
• Examples of GSEs are the Federal Reserve, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac.
• He suggests sending radioactive waste into space in order to dispose of it.  Wait!!! That's not a bad idea.
• He believes that we should start with the B4 core.  This was proven during the Apollo Era with the Rover/Nerva program.  The Nerva upper stage would have bolted onto a Saturn V rocket and almost would have doubled its payload.
• Instead of launching from Kennedy, he suggests a remote location.  Possibly near the equator.  I'm thinking Omelek Island, which SpaceX has launched from with one of their Falcon rockets.
• He believes that people will focus on the risks first, but when they see the rewards, will decide the risks are worth it.  By the way, the risks are small and manageable.  The rewards are astronomically large, if you pardon the pun.
• He emphasizes that it should be an international venture, with potential for the entire world to participate, if their behavior meets certain standards.

A visionary proposal that may work technically.  The trouble is the politics.  Democrats will hate the environmental risks, but love the GSE idea.  Republicans will hate the GSE proposition, and they will be skeptical about the benefits.  They may be brought onboard if it is rigorously privatized once the technology is proven.