Project Orion was a research project conducted in the 1950s and 1960s by the United States government to develop a spacecraft powered by nuclear bombs. The project was led by physicist Freeman Dyson and was funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
The concept behind Project Orion was to use the energy released by the detonation of nuclear bombs to propel a spacecraft through space. The bombs would be ignited in a series of controlled explosions, and the resulting shockwaves would be absorbed by a "pusher plate" attached to the back of the spacecraft. The pusher plate would then push the spacecraft forward, propelling it through space.
Project Orion was considered to be a promising and innovative approach to space travel, and it was supported by several prominent scientists and government officials. However, it was eventually canceled due to concerns about the potential environmental and political consequences of using nuclear bombs for propulsion. Despite its cancellation, Project Orion remains an important part of the history of space exploration and technology.