Fusion Driven Rocket

[tater]

https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/niac_2012_phaseii_slough_fusiondrivenrocketneclearpropulsiontagged.pdf

Quote

The Fusion Driven rocket (FDR) represents a revolutionary approach to fusion propulsion where the power source releases its energy directly into the propellant, not requiring conversion to electricity. It employs a solid lithium propellant that requires no significant tankage mass. The propellant is rapidly heated and accelerated to high exhaust velocity (> 30 km/s), while having no substantial physical interaction with the spacecraft thereby avoiding damage to the rocket and limiting both the thermal heat load and radiator mass.

This is pretty interesting.

They even propose a crew mission to Mars could be done with a single, 130 Mt to LEO launch. Spacecraft orbits Mars and returns to Earth orbit propulsively.

TMI burn is 7.6k/s

MOI burn is 13.8 km/s

TEI is 16.2 km/s

EOI is 11.8 km/s

Total mission duration (including 30 day stay on martian surface) is 210 days.

 

 

[Scotius]

Now that's pulse drive i don't mind seeing in action Less raw power than Orion, but also fewer technical headaches - most of all, no nukes onboard

Also... LIKES ARE BACK!!! Finally!

[Nuke]

it would likely need a nuclear reactor on board if you plan on going to the outer solar system with it. solar is fine for a mars mission though. wonder if this thing would fit into a starship. 

[Shpaget]

So, what's the power source to trigger the fusion?

[farmerben]

3 hours ago, Shpaget said:

So, what's the power source to trigger the fusion?

I've got some ideas on that, but nobody is commenting on them.

 

 

One thing many people get wrong about any pulse drive system like the Orion, is that we want the maximum possible mass to take the shock, and the minimum possible mass protected by shock absorbers.  

[kerbiloid]

4 hours ago, farmerben said:

I've got some ideas on that, but nobody is commenting on them.

Commenting: looked close to my suggestion of optionally-antimatter-enforced Orion+Daedalus hybride engine, lol, so I didn't.

[Nuke]

9 hours ago, Shpaget said:

So, what's the power source to trigger the fusion?

there was a reference to a capacitor bank in the paper, i presume you are going to charge it with solar, rtg, or some kind of fission reactor. looked like they were going to use some kind of inductive compression.

Edited October 4, 2019 by Nuke