nuke - mini Dyson sphere

Seggybop · Post by **Seggybop** » 2003-06-29 02:18am

I was wondering if you could build an orb in space, and then detonate nuclear weapons inside it and collect all the energy? Is this possible, and is it a useful idea?

nechronius · Post by **nechronius** » 2003-06-29 02:23am

Sure it would be possible, but why? I hate to say it but the amount of Time/energy expended building such a contraption would far outstrip its usefulness unless you planned on using it for a very very long Time, in which case you would probably advance technologically to the point where such a contraption is obsolete.

SPOOFE · Post by **SPOOFE** » 2003-06-29 04:33pm

Take a fraction of that idea, Seggybop, and you've just described the propulsion system for the Orion starship plan from the late '50s/ early '60s.

kojikun · Post by **kojikun** » 2003-06-29 05:20pm

spoofe: actually that idea even without fractionated was the idea for a type of ENCLOSED pulse detonation drive. problem is, you'd end up destroying the housing if it wasnt the proper size, even with the smallest of nukes.

JodoForce · Post by **JodoForce** » 2003-06-29 07:11pm

Just wondering how he intends to collect the energy inside the sphere

kojikun · Post by **kojikun** » 2003-06-29 09:06pm

well you could try filling the sphere with very dense gas and use turbines and photovoltaic cells. the density of the gas would reduce the radiation to usable light, however the shockwave and overpressure would probably rupture the containment vessel if its not large enough.

It could work tho, it would just have to be a sphere a few tens of miles across.