I've found references to this project with a slightly different spelling of
Marquart (Marquardt) on the web.  A. C. Clarke also wrote a story about
nuclear powered RAM jets incorporated into a first stage launch vehicle
years ago.  I don't remember the name of the story, but I do remember
reading it.  

 -----Original Message-----
From:   David Weinshenker [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] 
Sent:   Thursday, June 13, 2002 10:53 AM
To:     [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject:        Re: [ERPS] ISAS paper

Sander Pool wrote:
> 
> I assume everyone here saw the Discovery Wings show about the Pluto
project.
> Attempts in the 50s (60s?) to build a nuclear ramjet powered cruise
missile.

I didn't see the show, but I heard of the project elsewhere...
reportedly the wind tunnel at Marquart Labs where the one 
actual engine run took place was still radioactive decades
later... and in flight there would be no safe way to shut
the thing down once it was running (think decay heat...) so
it was inherently a single use vehicles: Test runs, as well as
aborted attacks, were to end by diving the beast into a deep place
in the ocean. (They'd never be able to get the environmental impact 
papers for _that_ approved these days!)

-dave w
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