SciShow's video: That Time NASA Tried to Make a Nuclear-Powered Rocket

This month's Pin of the Month is dedicated to the NERVA program. During the Space Race, NASA designed and tested a rocket engine fueled in part by nuclear fission. And it went so well (minus the funding cuts) that the prospect of a nuclear-powered rocket keeps circling back around. Pre-order your NERVA pin all this month here: https://dftba.com/scishow Hosted by: Rose Bear Don't Walk (she/her) ---------- Support SciShow by becoming a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/scishow ---------- Huge thanks go to the following Patreon supporters for helping us keep SciShow free for everyone forever: Matt Curls, Alisa Sherbow, Dr. Melvin Sanicas, Harrison Mills, Adam Brainard, Chris Peters, charles george, Piya Shedden, Alex Hackman, Christopher R, Boucher, Jeffrey Mckishen, Ash, Silas Emrys, Eric Jensen, Kevin Bealer, Jason A Saslow, Tom Mosner, Tomás Lagos González, Jacob, Christoph Schwanke, Sam Lutfi, Bryan Cloer ---------- Looking for SciShow elsewhere on the internet? SciShow Tangents Podcast: https://scishow-tangents.simplecast.com/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@scishow Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/scishow Instagram: http://instagram.com/thescishowFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/scishow ---------- Sources: https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-darpa-will-test-nuclear-engine-for-future-mars-missions https://www1.grc.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/NERVA-Nuclear-Rocket-Program-1965.pdf [PDF] https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19910017902/ https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19680011933/ https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19670016843/ https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19910015865/ https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19920001875/ https://nuke.fas.org/space/la-10062.pdf [PDF] https://www1.grc.nasa.gov/historic-facilities/rockets-systems-area/7911-2/ https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/4673160 [PDF] https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/AD0731963.pdf [PDF] http://archive.gao.gov/t2pbat6/147698.pdf [PDF] https://sgp.fas.org/othergov/doe/lanl/la-ur-85-2442.pdf [PDF] https://nuke.fas.org/space/review.pdf [PDF] https://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1197_web.pdf [PDF] https://history.nasa.gov/SP-4407/vol1/chapter3-1.pdf [PDF] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0149197016300300 Image Sources: https://images.nasa.gov/details/GRC-1961-C-58453 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Technicians_prepare_a_Kiwi_B-1_nozzle_for_testing_GRC-1964-C-69681.jpg https://images.nasa.gov/details/9255078 https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/built-their-basketball-career-from-the-ground-up-stock-footage/1217130181?adppopup=true https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/launch-of-space-shuttle-into-the-space-royalty-free-image/1191352160?phrase=space%20shuttle%20engine&adppopup=true https://images.nasa.gov/details/ksc_072605_rtf_launch https://images.nasa.gov/details/SLS%20Resource%20Reel%2007-19-18 https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/blue-glowing-interstellar-plasma-field-in-deep-royalty-free-image/1084903562?phrase=nuclear%20fission&adppopup=true https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kiwi-A_Prime_Atomic_Reactor_-_GPN-2002-000141.jpg https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/galactic-trash-orbiting-earth-royalty-free-image/1125629273?phrase=broken%20piece&adppopup=true https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nuclear_Shuttle_NERVA_engine.jpg https://images.nasa.gov/details/9902020 https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/fire-cloud-bursting-from-black-background-stock-footage/636067906?adppopup=true https://images.nasa.gov/details/S69-39593 https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/heo/scan/images/history/August2012_2.html https://www.nasa.gov/jpl/dawn/pia18922 https://images.nasa.gov/details/9902047