Gradient Field Imploding Liner Fusion Propulsion System: when laser propulsion meets enhanced magnetic compression

[DDE]

http://hdl.handle.net/2060/20180006825 (link to NASA .pdf)

TL;DR: when you wrap your fusion fuel in lithium/beryllium/aluminum and use a pulsed magnetic field to compress the metal wrapper, rather than the fuel directly, so hard that fusion happens, you end up needing to rapidly (10 Hz or so) cycle a very powerful magnet on and off. Even though lighter than straightforward magnetic confinement, it’s a very bad idea from an engineering standpoint.

So, instead of pulsing a magnet, the fusion fuel is fired quickly (10 km/s) through a constant field (not dissimilar to a rocket nozzle’s throat, actually) to achieve an identical result. This requires a pretty OP pellet gun, though; railguns and light gas guns aren’t up for the job, but laser ablative propulsion is, and it warms up the pellet as a bonus.

Shamelessly stolen from @nyrath.

Discuss.

Edited January 24, 2019 by DDE
Format, typos

[Xd the great]

10km/s. What is the exhaust speed of Hall effect thrusters?

[DDE]

45 minutes ago, Xd the great said:

10km/s. What is the exhaust speed of Hall effect thrusters?

10-80 km/s or so.

About 30 km/s for the fusion engine, depending on the foil material, plus presumably much better TWR than a straight nuclear-electric package.