Time for my favorite quote in project Pluto:

The missile would be moving too quickly to expose any living things to prolonged radiation needed to induce radiation sickness.

I’ve always wanted to see an animation that is somewhat realistic about this thing. It just defies imagination and concept art doesn’t do it justice.

What I find absolutely mind-boggling (although very on brand) is that Russia has been working on a nuclear-powered cruise missile, the 9M730 Burevestnik. They’re claiming it’s a nuclear thermal rocket, but gods only know if that’s true or not, and your guess is as good as mine as to whether it’s open or closed cycle, ie. doest it blast radioactive exhaust everywhere. Russians being Russians, it’s probably open cycle.

Russians being Russians, they’ve also already managed to have a fatal radiological incident while testing the Burevestnik, with a mere 5 deaths.