Project Pluto
An unshielded nuclear reactor, flying at Mach 3 at treetop level and designed to drop hydrogen bombs was nearly constructed in the 1950’s.
From the article:
Like Hula Hoops and Slinkies, Pluto is now an anachronism, an all-but-forgotten remnant of an earlier — but not necessarily more innocent — era. At the time, however, deadly as it would have been, Pluto had the almost irresistible appeal of any radically new technological innovation. Like the H-bombs it would carry, Pluto was “technically sweet” to many of the scientists and engineers who worked on it.
The “technically sweet” explains a lot. The technical challenges were enormous, but could be overcome. I guess this explains why many engineers can work with weapon systems — even though they’re to be used for killing people, the technical challenges are often cutting edge and really interesting. Project Pluto would have been fun to work on.
(Via Boing Boing)
Update: Charlie Stross has read his history and incorporates Project Pluto in A Colder War.
Updated on Saturday, 2005-02-05.
Posted at 00:46,
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