Home / Series / BBC Documentaries / Aired Order / Season 2003 / Episode 34

To Mars By A-Bomb: The Secret History of Project Orion

The extraordinary yet true account of a secret US government-backed attempt to build a spaceship the size of an ocean liner and send it to Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, propelled by thousands of miniature nuclear bombs. Beginning in 1958 Project Orion ran until 1965, employing some of the best scientists in the world, including the brilliant British mathematician and physicist Freeman Dyson. "Freeman Dyson is one of the few authentic geniuses I've ever met", says Arthur C. Clarke. "Orion isn't crazy. It would work. The question isn't whether we could do it, but whether we should do it".

English
  • Originally Aired March 26, 2003
  • Runtime 60 minutes
  • Content Rating United States of America TV-PG
  • Network BBC
  • Created April 7, 2017 by
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  • Modified April 7, 2017 by
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