Quantum Vacuum Plasma Thruster

[coolitic]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_vacuum_plasma_thruster

A kind of thruster that does not need to carry any propellant.

"According to Harold White, a quantum vacuum plasma thruster-powered spacecraft weighing 90 tonnes would be able to reach Proxima Centauri in ~29.9 years at 4 newtons per kilowatt."

Seems like a great idea and should be implemented in stock (unlikely) or a mod.

[Kerbart]

From what I understand, compared to the QVPT, an ion thruster is like a mainsail engine.

[Random Tank]

From Kerbarts point, and the fact that KSP is a mainly realistic rocketry simulator using parts similar to current and classic technology, this would never get added into stock. Go ask in Add-on requests to see if someone would make a mod for this...

[nli2work]

When KSPI main gets updated to 24.2 you'll have it again. for now you have to use the experimental version.

[Tarrow]

"According to Harold White, a quantum vacuum plasma thruster-powered spacecraft weighing 90 tonnes would be able to reach Proxima Centauri in ~29.9 years at 4 newtons per kilowatt."

If he's handwaving a figure of 4N/Kw (the actual number is nearer 0.1N/Kw) then you'd need more than 4Mw of electrical generation capacity on hand. Packing that much generation into 90 tonnes is gonna be problematic, doing it for 30 years without refueling even moreso...

[coolitic]

From Kerbarts point, and the fact that KSP is a mainly realistic rocketry simulator using parts similar to current and classic technology, this would never get added into stock. Go ask in Add-on requests to see if someone would make a mod for this...

The atomic engine is not used in real life ever since they banned nuclear testing in space, air, and water.

I also acknowledge that the chance it gets into stock is low.

[Tery215]

This could balanced, but it wouldn't make a good part.

It's basically dead mass.

[CaptRobau]

The atomic engine is not used in real life ever since they banned nuclear testing in space, air, and water.

I also acknowledge that the chance it gets into stock is low.

Nuclear testing bans apply to bombs. A nuclear thermal rocket, aka the LV-N, is an engine powered by a nuclear reactor basically. Those are used in a whole bunch of sea-going vessels. NTRs are simply not used because of funding, the public being averse to nuclear power since Chernobyl/Three Mile Island and the potential risk of the NTR falling back to Earth.

[Random Tank]

The atomic engine is not used in real life ever since they banned nuclear testing in space, air, and water.

I also acknowledge that the chance it gets into stock is low.

I may not be used, but it exists, and actually had a working version, just the project fell through due to the reasons that CaptRobau said...

And by 'low' you mean 'never'.