Name: The story of Project Orion
Uploaded: 2008-02-14T05:23:00Z
Duration: 8 min 18 s
Description: Author George Dyson spins the story of Project Orion, a massive, nuclear-powered spacecraft that could have taken us to Saturn in five years. His insider’s perspective and a secret cache of documents bring an Atomic Age dream to life.

George Dyson: The story of Project Orion

The story of Project Orion

Author George Dyson spins the story of Project Orion, a massive, nuclear-powered spacecraft that could have taken us to Saturn in five years. His insider’s perspective and a secret cache of documents bring an Atomic Age dream to life.

A secret Cold War project set out to build a 4,000-ton spacecraft powered by nuclear bombs, aiming to reach Saturn in just five years. Engineers designed ships as tall as the Marriott Hotel, relying on thousands of nuclear blasts for propulsion. The effort drew on top hydrogen bomb experts and absorbed ARPA's first million-dollar grant, but was ultimately buried by secrecy, internal opposition, and public risk. Today, the project's legacy lingers as both a cautionary tale and a hidden technological option for planetary defense.