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Posted: 2004-04-13 04:45pm
by phongn
If they used the material of the nuclear missile it'd probably be a fission core, though there really isn't that much fissile material to work with.
Posted: 2004-04-13 05:04pm
by HRogge
phongn wrote:If they used the material of the nuclear missile it'd probably be a fission core, though there really isn't that much fissile material to work with.
Right.
And of course it's much more difficult to keep a fusion reaction running than a fission reaction.
Posted: 2004-04-13 05:19pm
by phongn
In addition, US nukes typically use Li in them (which is transmuted to easily-fusionably products when the primary initiates) so fusion is almost certainly right out.
Posted: 2004-04-14 03:43am
by Sarevok
HRogge wrote:evilcat4000 wrote:I believe it was a fusion reactor. Fission reactors are not small enough or powerful enough for warp drives.
They used the material of a nuclear missile to fuel their warp drive. We don't know if it's fission or fusion. Neither we know how much energy they needed for their short warp trip.
Fusion nukes involve detonating a fission bomb. So that is certainly ruled out since it would destroy the Phoenix. The Phoenix either used a stable fusion reactor or a very powerful fission reactor.