“I know there is a lot of environmental opposition to deep-sea mining, but I think it’s driven by concerns about older technology. Also, I don’t think people understand the consequences of not engaging in deep-sea mining. In my view, having studied this area for four years, I don’t believe we will hit net zero emissions without seabed minerals. It just takes too long to get them out of the ground on land. It’s also becoming increasingly expensive because the good stuff’s already been mined. You’re left with mineral resources that are very low-grade and very remote, which means they’re incredibly expensive to extract.”

"Phoebus 2A, the most powerful space nuclear reactor ever made, was fired up at Nevada Test Site on June 26, 1968. The test lasted 750 seconds and confirmed it could carry first humans to Mars. But Phoebus 2A did not take anyone to Mars. It was too large, it cost too much, and it didn’t mesh with Nixon’s idea that we had no business going anywhere further than low-Earth orbit.

But it wasn’t NASA that first called for rockets with nuclear engines. It was the military that wanted to use them for intercontinental ballistic missiles. And now, the military wants them again." (Ars Technica)