nuclear bombs aren't just fissile material, which is highly efficient (I think Hiroshima converted less than a gram in weight) they need something to hold it, a detonator, a case, timing, all of which is several kilograms of metal. So even finding some optimal sweet spot to surf the blast which might be a kilometre away (and hence several orders of magnitude less power as it expands in a sphere) you're still losing a fair amount of mass as you go, which is a similar problem as rocket fuel. anyway, it's an interesting thought experiment
(, Wed 3 Feb 2021, 22:47, Reply)
It was a bit more than a thought experiment. There was quite a bit of research done.
www.projectrho.com/public_html/rocket/enginelist3.php#boomboom
(, Thu 4 Feb 2021, 0:29, Reply)
my better idea is that some comets are really motoring, 2l/borislov was going at 175,000 km an hour relative to earth. All you need is a net and a long bungy cord attached to your pimped out space limo, and bob's your uncle
(, Thu 4 Feb 2021, 5:15, Reply)
(, Thu 4 Feb 2021, 14:22, Reply)
for the weight issues I presciently speculated. And why would I regret speculating about some hypothetical science video some member has posted anyway, even if I was wrong? I'd have to have a pretty immature ego to worry about that. Adults are able to discuss these things and speculate about flaws, and thanks to evil andys link, as a result, I'm probably better informed on the shelved research than anyone would want to be.
what is interesting is you and tweedledum seem to spend your time hovering around b3ta in a funk of bitterness hoping I'll make a mistake, like some infantile tesco-value Salieris unable to move on from being intellectually humiliated and obsessed with some form of revenge that never happens due to your increasingly obvious limitations. Nobody else ever joins you two in your outbursts of invective, it's just your petty hatred on display. In contrast, I don't think about you and prufock much at all. Well, no more than some guy with tourettes who yells at me when I'm walking past the bus stop
(, Thu 4 Feb 2021, 21:02, Reply)
...drop a subcritical mass out of the back, with none of that casing bollocks.
And then fire another subcritical mass at it.
In the vacuum of space it shouldn't be too difficult to drop both critical masses such that their orientations remain precisely where you expect, so that the shapes of the complimentary masses will lock together when joined.
(, Thu 4 Feb 2021, 10:50, Reply)
it's not a bad idea, but like a lot of the research it's "assuming we somehow get all this untested technology to work"
(, Thu 4 Feb 2021, 22:28, Reply)