Re: NERVA was ready for flight testing in 1969
Interesting read, but as for launch viability, I have to wonder. According to the specs given, it seems a short of a launch-capable engine by a factor of 100. NERVA's specs before cancellation were in the range of 300kN, whereas the Saturn V (a known launch-capable vehicle) rates at 34MN. History has also shown us that the fewer the engines you use, the better off you tend to be (during the Space Race, Soviet engines tended to have some technical difficulties that were multiplied because they trended towards using lots of smaller engines in contrast to the American approach of a few honking big ones due to delicate balancing resulting in each engine being a potential SPoF).
Biting the hand that feeds IT
