History paints space flight as a clean, heroic march. Reality was much messier....

https://technivorz.com/why-do-articles-compare-nuclear-and-chemical-like-it-is-obvious/

History paints space flight as a clean, heroic march. Reality was much messier. Behind the scenes, 18 Nobel laureates sparred over the physics of propulsion, debating nuclear versus chemical rockets with the intensity of a bar fight