If you look at the plot of Van Buren, and compare it to the plot of the classic James Bond film Moonraker, you might notice an some interesting similarities:

Van Buren: Eventually, the player would discover the true reason behind the prison and the attack on it. It turns out that through extensive research, the mad scientist called Presper, disgusted with what the world turned into after the War, discovered the history of Limit 115, the virus that FEV was initially created to cure, and its genocidal potency, and also discovered a viable means to cleanse the world. Using ULYSSES, the quarantine prison, and a ballistic satellite known as B.O.M.B.-001, the way to human planetary domination and order became clear. He needed to get to B.O.M.B.-001 and use the nuclear weapons to clean the filth and wretch that currently occupied the surface.

Moonraker: Drax plans to destroy all human life by launching fifty globes containing the toxin into the Earth's atmosphere. Before launching the globes, Drax also transported several dozen young men and women of varying races, which he regarded as genetically perfect, to the space station. They would live there until Earth was safe again for human life; their descendants would be the seed for a "new master race

So is it a coincidence....or was Van Buren inspired by James Bond?

In all likelyhood, Van Buren was inspired by James Bond.

You've got to remember; the Fallout series is, first and foremost, a parody of popular culture.

I usually think mad scientist idea is popular around the 1950s era. That my thought on this. :shrug:

Uh, no?

Yeah, it is. You cannot throw a rock at someone in the Fallout games without coming across some character, phrase or other object that is based off of some form of pop culture history.

Fallout 2 was a testament to pop culture references.

Monty Python more than anyone