Wiktionary
n. 1 (context astronautics English) a spacecraft having a fission reactor that powers the rocket 2 (context astronautics English) a nuclear-pulse rocket that uses fission-based atomic bombs to supply propulsive force
Usage examples of "fission rocket".
The pulsed fission rocket of Project Orion has two big disadvantages.
We should be building the new RLV, and launching fission rocket stages to orbit, and going to Mars and back in a fortnight.
The plasma rocket is cranked up to high mass flow, its specific impulse almost as low as a fission rocket but producing maximum thrust as the assembly creaks and groans through the gravitational assist maneuver.
The plasma rocket is cranked up to maximum mass flow, its specific impulse almost as low as a fission rocket but thrusting at maximum as the assembly creaks and groans through the gravitational assist maneuver.