THE LOCKHEED SR-71 BLACKBIRD: ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES TITANIUM WAS USED TO PROVE IT COULD WITHSTAND EXTREME TEMPERATURES, DUE TO THE BLACKBIRD HEATING UP DRAMATICALLY AT ITS SPEEDS AND ALTITUDE.
as being at the core of a nuclear reactor. Unfortunately that means spacewalks, at least at this time, would be out of the question.
EVEN THOUGH ROCKET ENGINES ARE MEASURED IN THRUST, AI ESTIMATES THAT THE ENGINES PICTURED ARE PRODUCING ROUGHLY 550,000 HORSEPOWER!
There are current explorations for a solution. Believe it or not, water could be an unlikely catalyst for our radiation problem. Water and titanium can both be used to protect from radiation, but come with individual pros and cons. A 1 to 2 cm titanium windscreen provides the same protection as 1 to 2M of water, creating a dilemma, as the titanium is lighter, but only serves the purpose of radiation protection. While water is heavier, it is also necessary for crew survival.
This isn’ t the only form of radiation that we must worry about though; there are also cosmic rays. These would hit the ship from every angle simultaneously, meaning that the vessel would need shielding on all surfaces. The same amount of water or titanium would do the trick, but would add too much mass for acceleration. So realistically, the first generation of space travelers will have to accept the health risks, and hope the destination is worth it.
SUMMER 2026— ISSUE NO. 15 | 29