The QED engine system: Direct-electric fusion-powered rocket propulsion systems

Conference · Wed Jan 20 00:00:00 EST 1993 · AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.43058· OSTI ID:5587554

Bussard, R W ^[1]

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1. Energy/Matter Conversion Corporation (EMC2), 9100 A Center Street, Manassas, Virginia 22110 (United States)

Practical ground-to-orbit and inter-orbital space flights both require propulsion systems of large flight-path-averaged specific impulse (I[sub sp]) and engine system thrust-to-mass-ratio (F/m[sub e]=[F]) for useful payload and structure fractions in single-stage vehicles (Hunter 1966). Current rocket and air-breathing engine technologies lead to enormous vehicles and small payloads; a natural result of the limited specific energy available from chemical reactions. While nuclear energy far exceeds these specific energy limits (Bussard and DeLauer 1958), the inherent high-I[sub sp] advantages of fission propulsion concepts for space and air-breathing flight (Bussard and DeLauer 1965) are negated for manned systems by the massive radiation shielding required by their high radiation output (Bussard 1971). However, there are well-known radiation-free nuclear fusion reactions (Gross 1984) between isotopes of selected light elements (such as H+[sup 11]B, D+[sup 3]He) that yield only energetic charged particles, whose energy can be converted directly into electricity by confining electric fields (Moir and Barr 1973,1983). New confinement concepts using magnetic-electric-potentials (Bussard 1989a) or inertial-collisional-compression (ICC) (Bussard 1990) have been found that offer the prospect of clean, compact fusion systems with very high output and low mass. Their radiation-free d.c. electrical output can power unique new electron-beam-driven thrust systems of extremely high performance. Parametric design studies show that such charged-particle electric-discharge engines ( QED'' engines) might yield rocket propulsion systems with performance in the ranges of 2[lt][F][lt]6 and 1500[lt]I[sub sp][lt]5500 sec.

• OSTI ID: 5587554
• Report Number(s): CONF-930103-; CODEN: APCPCS
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States), Vol. 271:3; Conference: 10. symposium on space nuclear power and propulsion, Albuquerque, NM (United States), 10-14 Jan 1993; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
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DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
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ELEMENTS
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EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
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NONMETALS
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ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
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NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
210600* - Power Reactors
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700400 - Fusion Technology- (1992-)
220100 - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Theory & Calculation