USS Kennedy Nuclear Interplanetary cruiser

General Atomics/Northrop Interplanetary  Cruiser
CGN-1 USS Kennedy


the Kennedy is named in honor Of John F Kennedy who authorized its construction shortly before e was seriously wounded in an attempted assassination. He was present at its christening, and launch from the New Mexico White Sands launch site in 1971.

the Kennedy became the first manned interplanetary craft built by man by completing a one year journey from Earth to Venus and back in 1973. At which time it was fully armed and designated as CGn-1. The vessel is currently one of only two armed spacecraft deployed by the major powers.

Constructed as research vessel the Kennedy was modified and armed as a direct response to the launch of the USSR's First armed spacecraft the Kennedy was commissioned and built in strictest  secrecy then launch in sections using  the Oberon Nuclear launch vehicle. further modifications were made in obit at the Olympus One orbital  facility.

It is the largest spacecraft ever constructed and launched directly from Earth. It is powered by a cluster of indirect cycle fission rockets and armed with a variety of weapons ranging from rapid fire gyro jet cannon  for close in defense, and a pair of 280 mm Gyro cannon

the ship is armored to protect it from most high explosive and armor piercing rounds fired by the Russian Cosmos Heavy orbiter, and it's hull is lined with a number of materials to protect the crew from the radioactive effects of tactical atomic warheads.

the crew is housed in the two counter rotating spin sections with easy access tot eh forward command module, and he after engineering module. the forward and outer surfaces of the spin sections are plated with titanium, and thick layers of graphite mixed with various ( classified) elements to provide protection from attack. while in the spin section the crew does not experience weightlessness and can move normally without the need of special devices.

The ships main weapons are twin main guns firing sself-propelled warheads capable of being loaded with kinetic energy, high explosive, fragmentation, and beehive rounds. It's most lethal weapons are the tactical nuclear warheads, and bomb pumped x-ray laser projectiles that are fired from it's main guns

One cannon faces forward and the other faces aft along the centerline of the vessel. iI combat the ship is designed to urn to face an opponent presenting its heavy armor and main gun  to the enemy, and bringing its rapid fire guns into position to shoot down or deflect incoming rounds with specially modified proximity burst shells.

the ships drives are powerful indirect cycle fission rockets, water is pumped at high pressure through liquid metal heat exchangers and turned into superheated steam. this is then channeled out venturi nozzle to provide thrust. The drives can generate a constant thrust equal to 1.5 times the gravity of earth for up to three days before fuel is expended.

Additional sets of fuel tanks can be attached to the ship by stacking them on the primary fuel tanks, and larger tans  are being constructed to allow the ship to make log range interplanetary cruises at higher speeds than currently possible due to  the need to carefully conserve fuel.

the indirect cycle also reduces the need for heavy shielding to protect the crew from radioactive exhaust plumes allowing more of the ships mass to be dedicated to other systems.

the Indirect cycle engines allow heating of water without direct contact with radioactive materials limiting the hazards to the crew. this also allows the ship to theoretically land or take  off under its own power though this remains untested due to the risk of losing the vessel due to mechanical failure, or unforeseen issues with the control systems.

The Kennedy is currently in geosynchronous orbit over the continental United States while its counterpart is in geosynchronous orbit  over the central USSR. Its current duties are to protect the Olympus One construction site, and provide weather, and maritime traffic intelligence to the US government.

Construction and launch of a civilian National Aeronautical Commission version of the Kennedy is underway and the vessel will launch by 1979 to join the Kennedy in orbit before beginning its first planned mission to orbit mars and drop scientific probes in preparation for manned landings scheduled to take place in 1985.

A purpose built orbital warship is also underway to supplement the Kennedy and establish dominance of orbital space should hostilities with the USSR erupt. The Proposed USS Washington will be larger and more heavily armed than the Kennedy But will lack the Kennedy's interplanetary range