This BBC documentary, titled “To Mars By A-Bomb – The Secret History of Project Orion“, is one of the most fascinating 60 minute films I’ve seen so far this year. It tells the story of Project Orion, an incredible Cold War project to launch a 10,000 tonne spacecraft into space by setting off small yield nuclear bombs underneath it.
It sounds like science fiction but in the late 1950s, this was a serious program run by NASA, and it came a lot closer to happening than many people realise. The project was run by George Dyson who features heavily in this documentary, telling the history of the still partially classified NASA program in his own words.
If you like this sort of thing I suggest you grab a strong cup of coffee and hit play, you’ll be glad you did.
Ben Branch has had his work featured on CNN, Popular Mechanics, the official Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with millions of readers around the world and hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
The Triumph Bonneville TT Special was designed specifically for American desert racing, as well as TT Steeplechase, and Hare and Hound competition – interestingly the final specification of the model was developed not in England, but on the West Coast of the USA by Johnson Motors, commonly known as “JoMo”. The Triumph Bonneville TT Special…
The Small Batch Supply Co. Leather Roll Top Backpack is the first bag we’ve ever featured that has no stitching, and no snaps, buttons, or clips. Small Batch Supply Co. Leather Roll Top Backpack The cleverness of this bag’s design lies in its simplicity, it’s made from a combination of Hermann Oak leather split hide…
The new Bell MX-9 MIPS Presence Helmet makes use of the revolutionary Multi-Directional Impact Protection System, a technology designed to protect the brain from traumatic injuries caused by rotational energy. What is MIPS and how does it work? The Multi-Directional Impact Protection System (MIPS) was developed by Swedish neurosurgeon Hans von Holst in collaboration with…
This Hangar 9 P-51D Mustang is a 1/5th scale model with a 7 foot 5 inch wingspan (89 inches) and a total weight of 26 lbs. Power is provided by a 62cc petrol engine mounted upfront where you would expect, and it has optional retractable landing gear, a steerable tailwheel, and removable wings to make…
The Racing Scene is a 1969 film presented by James Garner, interestingly it’s a personal favorite of Quentin Tarantino who showcased it at the New Beverly Theater in Los Angeles alongside the Steve McQueen classic Le Mans. The film covers a wide array of different racing series and formats including sports car racing at the…
BoomCase have made a name for themselves building the most famous vintage suitcase boombox stereos in the world. Each one has a built-in, rechargeable lithium-ion battery offering upwards of 18 hours playing time, and they can be ordered with a Bluetooth module (to complement the included aux/headphone jack) so you can stream wirelessly. The BoomCase…
