The maximum terminal velocity we could accelerate a nuclear rocket to is approximately
A) 50 % of the speed of light
B) 0.001 % of the speed of light
C) 0.1 % of the speed of light
D) 10 % of the speed of light

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The maximum terminal velocity of a nuclear rocket is limited by the exhaust velocity of the propellant it uses. Nuclear rockets, which use nuclear reactions to heat propellant and create thrust, can achieve exhaust velocities of around 10% of the speed of light. Therefore, the maximum terminal velocity a nuclear rocket could be accelerated to is approximately 10% of the speed of light.

The Maximum Terminal Velocity We Could Accelerate a Nuclear Rocket