Aldebaran

From The Space Library

• Martin concept space liner Aldebaran (ca. 1960)

Aldebaran was the largest of a trio of 1960 concept vehicles devised by engineer Dandridge Cole and his team at the Martin advanced projects office. The others were Arcturus and Antares.

Aldebaran was to have been built and flying by 1975-1980 and was a full-fledged "space liner" using an advanced nuclear propulsion system.

The Aldebaran design was a highly ambitious design which would have lofted 50,000 to 80,000 tons into space. Its engines were to have spouted exhaust at a massive Isp of 3000 enabling a payload of 30,000 tons to LEO or 45 million pounds to the moon. It was so large it would have to be launched from water.