twohedwlf t1_jd10pr5 wrote on March 21, 2023 at 1:21 AM

Yes, it would work, and you'd only need to flip once at the midpoint of the trip. But we don't have the technology now to maintain that kind of acceleration.

twohedwlf t1_jd18c5k wrote on March 21, 2023 at 2:17 AM

To give some idea of the amount of fuel needed. Say we wanted to JUST send a SpaceX raptor a 2 day burn(About the 1g time to Mars from u/trogon link) about 230,000,000 lbs of fuel and would start off at about 1/460th of a G acceleration. (Ignoring tanks, structural supports etc.) That gives an average acceleration over 2 days of 1/230th of a G.

So, you could never achieve it with combustion rocket engines.

Nuclear engines have much higher ISP, but only in the region of 2-3 times so they'd use roughly 1/3rd the fuel.

Background-Banana574 t1_jd1dqv5 wrote on March 21, 2023 at 3:00 AM

You know how to get to Minmus don’t you?

Triabolical_ t1_jd1e0k4 wrote on March 21, 2023 at 3:02 AM

Nuclear engines tend to be both heavy and have low thrust, which mostly cancels out the Isp advantage.

dasBergen t1_jd1fadc wrote on March 21, 2023 at 3:13 AM

Wasn't project Orion a really bad idea version of this? But I think the fuel scoop was the only missing technology?

BrentRedinger t1_jd1lye7 wrote on March 21, 2023 at 4:14 AM

I think it was Daedalus that used the scoop. Orion used the pusher plate nukes.

Bipogram t1_jd1np17 wrote on March 21, 2023 at 4:32 AM

Daedalus was still an Orion-esque engine, but with thermonuclear (not fission) 'devices'.

Bussard ramjets are out of favour as nobody is sure that they make nett thrust.