Project Orion II UPDATE M 10/22/2012

Ever since the morning of Thursday, February 18, 1999 when I first conceived my main interstellar brainchild, I have nurtured it and have changed the design and even proposed size many times.  This post has the most current design.  I envision Project Orion II launching on a voyage to a nearby star system before the end of the 21st Century.

Orion II Specs:

Length: 209 meters
Width: 62 meters
Speed: 10-20% the speed of light
Primary Propulsion: Deuterium and Helium-3 fusion pulse propulsion
Secondary Propulsion: Undecided, possibilities include magsial and lightsail
Propellant Mass: 6600 tonnes?
Dry mass: 1400 tonnes?
Departure mass: 8000 tonnes?
Payload Mass: 200 tonnes?
Symbol: Dodecahedron
Destination: Undecided; candidates include Alpha Centauri (4.37ly), Epsilon Eridani (10.5ly), and Tau Ceti (11.9ly)

Project Orion II Inspirational Quote:

"Then through the vast and gloomy dark,
There moves what seems a fiery spark,
A lonely spark with silvery rays,
Piercing the coal-black night" - Edward Lear