Nuclear propulsion - political suicide

I'm pretty sure that nuclear launchers to get to LEO have too many
problems to even consider. They're either inherently extremely
dirty (ORION) or they're a bit dirty with added danger of Chernobyl
style disasters (NERVA).

Beyond MEO nuclear power can be made arbitrarily safe; and getting
nuclear reactors is by no means dangerous (they can be launched
'cold' and then activated if and when they reach orbit.)

The political questions are something else of course.

> This is why Uranium is 4th on my list of most desireables to
> prospect.
>
> 1. Water (fuel, life support)
> 2. Platinum Group Metals (short term income)
> 3. Metals (make more stuff)
> 4. Uranium (trans-luna operations)
>
> I agree, general democracies won't let you get away with NTEO (Nuke
> To Low Earth Orbit). Either Gas Core, NERVA, or Orion. Ain't gonna
> happen. China might get away with it.

Doubt it. For launching they're all ridiculously dangerous tech.
Historically rockets have had a 1% failure rate. The impact of a
failure on a Gas Core or NERVA could be catastropic.

OTOH a single ORION launch would put more radiation into the
atmosphere than all the nuclear tests together; and that's if it
worked properly!

> NTRs (Nuclear Thermal Rockets)
> if able to fly, will have operational limitations in intra-lunar
> orbits. Public outcry will likely not allow NTRs from operating below
> GEO. If you can mine and refine the Uranium for transfer shuttles
> that never get near GEO, then we are in business.

Those can be made extremely safe even launched from the earth.