David writes:

> I don't know how this thread started but I did contract work at the INEL in
>  1990.  It has numerous achievements including those mentioned.  The biggest
>  achievement though was the development of the one and only nuclear
>  jet engine which is on display somewhere on 'the site'.

Actually most of the work was done elsewhere (Los Alamos, Philadelphia,
Livermore, and Nevada), but as in all such projects, a very large number of
people come to be engaged in the project over the years.

The engine was called NERVA and NERVA2. It's work was begun in the middle
50's and continued on into the early 1970's, at which time the project was
finally cancelled.

We may yet however use this technology, once we can be assured of getting it
off-planet safely. In fact, it will probably be necessary for Mars travel.

See:

     http://sec353.jpl.nasa.gov/apc/Nuclear/01.html
     http://sec353.jpl.nasa.gov/apc/Nuclear/02.html

Wirt Atmar