FUSION PROPULSION

INTRODUCTION

A new concept for an interplanetary and interstellar mission engine

Fusion reaction is used to produce thrust to propel the rockets

Fusion rockets

WHAT IS FUSION?WHAT IS FUSION?

Fusion occurs Fusion occurs when two nuclei when two nuclei combine to from a combine to from a new nucleus new nucleus

Fusion fuels are mainly Deuterium Fusion fuels are mainly Deuterium and Tritiumand Tritium

Deuterium contains Deuterium contains one proton and one proton and one neutronone neutron

Tritium has one proton and two Tritium has one proton and two neutronsneutrons

Deuterium-Tritium FusionDeuterium-Tritium Fusion

PlasmaPlasma

PlasmaPlasma is made up of is made up of atomsatoms

it is also called ionized gasit is also called ionized gas

Movement of charged particles in a plasma

Presence of magnetic field

Absence of magnetic field

CONDITIONS SHOULD BE CREATED FOR CONDITIONS SHOULD BE CREATED FOR THE FUSION TO OCCURTHE FUSION TO OCCUR

The two nuclei should be bring in The two nuclei should be bring in contactcontact

High temperatureHigh temperature

About 100 million About 100 million °C°C

Created by using Laser beams,Created by using Laser beams, microwavesmicrowaves

High pressureHigh pressure

Pressure squeezes the hydrogen Pressure squeezes the hydrogen atoms togetheratoms together

Using intense magnetic fields, Using intense magnetic fields,

powerful lasers or ion beams powerful lasers or ion beams

MANETIC CONFINEMENT FUSIONMANETIC CONFINEMENT FUSION

Electricity & neutral particle beams Electricity & neutral particle beams are used to heat the stream of gasare used to heat the stream of gas

Plasma is squeezed by the super Plasma is squeezed by the super conducting magnetsconducting magnets

Optimum for power generationOptimum for power generation

MANETIC CONFINEMENT FUSION MANETIC CONFINEMENT FUSION PROPULSIONPROPULSION

Reactions takes place in a magnetic bottleReactions takes place in a magnetic bottle Products exhausted through a magnetic Products exhausted through a magnetic nozzlenozzle Two primary problemsTwo primary problems

Prohibitively large weightProhibitively large weight Difficult to create a magnetic bottle Difficult to create a magnetic bottle

with magnetic rocket exhaust nozzlewith magnetic rocket exhaust nozzle

Inertial Confinement FusionInertial Confinement Fusion (ICF)(ICF) Uses laser beam or ion beams to heat & Uses laser beam or ion beams to heat &

squeeze the deuterium and tritium pelletsqueeze the deuterium and tritium pellet Pellet is bombarded on all sides by Pellet is bombarded on all sides by

strong pulses from lasers or particle strong pulses from lasers or particle acceleratorsaccelerators

Inertia of fuel holds it together long Inertia of fuel holds it together long enough for most of it to undergo fusionenough for most of it to undergo fusion

INERTIAL CONFINEMENT FUSION

PROPULSION

Beams explosively detonates the outer Beams explosively detonates the outer layerlayer

Sending a shock wave in to the center Sending a shock wave in to the center which is powerful enough for achieving which is powerful enough for achieving high enough density at center to cause high enough density at center to cause some fusion reactionssome fusion reactions

This heats surrounding fuel creating a This heats surrounding fuel creating a chain reaction that burns the fuel loadchain reaction that burns the fuel load

MUON-CATALYSED FUSION MUON-CATALYSED FUSION PROPULSIONPROPULSION

Muon-Catalysed Fusion

A negative muon is an elementary particle similar to an electron

Muons replaces the electrons and allow their negative charge to effectively shield the positively charged nuclei from each other

D-T Molecule Muon catalyzed D-T Fusion

Eliminates electric repulsion force & Eliminates electric repulsion force & fusion take placefusion take place

Fusion energy ejects the muon& goes of Fusion energy ejects the muon& goes of to another nucleusto another nucleus

thus catalyses many reactions till it thus catalyses many reactions till it decaysdecays

Muon has to be manufactured on the Muon has to be manufactured on the space craftspace craft

If unable to catalyze many reactions the system is inefficient

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

This concept increases the mission This concept increases the mission flexibility, enabling new science flexibility, enabling new science missions and greater flexibility in missions and greater flexibility in reaching & exploring distant planetsreaching & exploring distant planets

It reduces the time for the journey in It reduces the time for the journey in space mission by 50% compared to the space mission by 50% compared to the chemical rocketchemical rocket