Lhdev

With the recent progress with laser based fusion the project seems within the realm of possible. The fusion doesn't need to obtain break even, it just needs to be repeatable and provide thrust. If Long Shot idea is used with the concept of accelerated fuel then a true interstellar capability might be possible. Pellets of fusion fuel and and uranium pellets can be attached to a RF sail and accelerated to high fraction of speed of light, similar to StarWisp. The RF power beams can be earth based. https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-national-laboratory-makes-history-achieving-fusion-ignition https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starwisp https://medium.com/our-space/breaking-the-rocket-equation-c078047c0881

With today's tech a VASMIR drive using laser based power beaming and pre seeding the trajectory could work. This concept would not require a large scoop and the propellant can be timed so that it is travelling slightly slower than the ramjet hence not causing a bottleneck