Inspired by James' post about a Space Catapult. I saw this documentary some years ago, and have managed to locate it again on Vimeo.
To Mars By A-Bomb (https://vimeo.com/646903934)
Synopsis:
The true story of how, in the dark aftermath of WW2, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, a group of brilliant scientists hoped to travel to Mars and beyond in a huge spaceship propelled by small, controlled nuclear explosions. BBC4 (2003). With Freeman Dyson, George Dyson, Ted Taylor, Arthur C. Clarke and other visionaries.
Seriously, this was a thing. Another concept to make your head hurt! Flying through space on a spaceship propelled by a serious of continuous small nuclear explosions.