A New Vision for Fusion Energy Research: Fusion Rocket Engines for Planetary Defense

Wurden, G. A.; Weber, T. E.; Turchi, P. J.; Parks, P. B.; Evans, T. E.; Cohen, S. A.; Cassibry, J. T.; Campbell, E. M.

doi:10.1007/s10894-015-0034-1

Title: A New Vision for Fusion Energy Research: Fusion Rocket Engines for Planetary Defense

Abstract

Abstract We argue that it is essential for the fusion energy program to identify an imagination-capturing critical mission by developing a unique product which could command the marketplace. We lay out the logic that this product is a fusion rocket engine, to enable a rapid response capable of deflecting an incoming comet, to prevent its impact on the planet Earth, in defense of our population, infrastructure, and civilization. As a side benefit, deep space solar system exploration, with greater speed and orders-of-magnitude greater payload mass would also be possible.

Authors:: Wurden, G. A.; Weber, T. E.; Turchi, P. J.; Parks, P. B.; Evans, T. E.; Cohen, S. A.; Cassibry, J. T.; Campbell, E. M.

Publication Date:: Mon Nov 16 00:00:00 EST 2015

Research Org.:: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES)

OSTI Identifier:: 1503045

Alternate Identifier(s):: OSTI ID: 1256789; OSTI ID: 1291218

Report Number(s):: LA-UR-15-23198
Journal ID: ISSN 0164-0313; PII: 34

Grant/Contract Number:: no DOE funding?; AC52-06NA25396

Resource Type:: Published Article

Journal Name:: Journal of Fusion Energy

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Name: Journal of Fusion Energy Journal Volume: 35 Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 0164-0313

Publisher:: Springer Science + Business Media

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; fusion research; fusion rocket engine; comet deflection; planetary defense; nuclear explosive; Comet impact; nuclear deflection; fusion rocket engines

Citation Formats


                    Wurden, G. A., Weber, T. E., Turchi, P. J., Parks, P. B., Evans, T. E., Cohen, S. A., Cassibry, J. T., and Campbell, E. M. A New Vision for Fusion Energy Research: Fusion Rocket Engines for Planetary Defense.  United States: N. p., 2015. 
Web.  doi:10.1007/s10894-015-0034-1.

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                    Wurden, G. A., Weber, T. E., Turchi, P. J., Parks, P. B., Evans, T. E., Cohen, S. A., Cassibry, J. T., & Campbell, E. M. A New Vision for Fusion Energy Research: Fusion Rocket Engines for Planetary Defense.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10894-015-0034-1

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                    Wurden, G. A., Weber, T. E., Turchi, P. J., Parks, P. B., Evans, T. E., Cohen, S. A., Cassibry, J. T., and Campbell, E. M. Mon .  
"A New Vision for Fusion Energy Research: Fusion Rocket Engines for Planetary Defense".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10894-015-0034-1.

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@article{osti_1503045,

  title        = {A New Vision for Fusion Energy Research: Fusion Rocket Engines for Planetary Defense},

  author       = {Wurden, G. A. and Weber, T. E. and Turchi, P. J. and Parks, P. B. and Evans, T. E. and Cohen, S. A. and Cassibry, J. T. and Campbell, E. M.},

  abstractNote = {Abstract We argue that it is essential for the fusion energy program to identify an imagination-capturing critical mission by developing a unique product which could command the marketplace. We lay out the logic that this product is a fusion rocket engine, to enable a rapid response capable of deflecting an incoming comet, to prevent its impact on the planet Earth, in defense of our population, infrastructure, and civilization. As a side benefit, deep space solar system exploration, with greater speed and orders-of-magnitude greater payload mass would also be possible.},

  doi          = {10.1007/s10894-015-0034-1},

  journal      = {Journal of Fusion Energy},

  number       = 1,

  volume       = 35,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Mon Nov 16 00:00:00 EST 2015},

  month        = {Mon Nov 16 00:00:00 EST 2015}

}

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Works referenced in this record:

The dilemma of nuclear energy in space
journal, January 2015

Remo, John L.
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Vol. 71, Issue 3
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Interstellar transport
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Case and Development Path for Fusion Propulsion
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Cassibry, Jason; Cortez, Ross; Stanic, Milos
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Dawn: A mission in development for exploration of main belt asteroids Vesta and Ceres
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Rayman, Marc D.; Fraschetti, Thomas C.; Raymond, Carol A.
Acta Astronautica, Vol. 58, Issue 11
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Realizing "2001: A Space Odyssey" - Piloted spherical torus nuclear fusion propulsion
conference, February 2013

Williams, Craig; Dudzinski, Leonard; Borowski, Stanley
37th Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit
DOI: 10.2514/6.2001-3805

Ion Propulsion Development Projects in U.S.: Space Electric Rocket Test I to Deep Space 1
journal, May 2001

Sovey, James S.; Rawlin, Vincent K.; Patterson, Michael J.
Journal of Propulsion and Power, Vol. 17, Issue 3
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Generic Magnetic Fusion Rocket Model
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Santarius, John F.; Logan, B. Grant
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Space Propulsion by Fusion in a Magnetic Dipole
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45th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference & Exhibit
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High-energy space propulsion based on magnetized target fusion
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A direct fusion drive for rocket propulsion
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Poston, David I.; Kapernick, Richard J.; Guffee, Ray M.
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conference, June 2012

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40th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit
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Works referencing / citing this record:

Effects of propagation distance and half angle on the merging of hypervelocity plasma jets
journal, May 2019

Thompson, Seth; Cassibry, Jason
Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 26, Issue 5
DOI: 10.1063/1.5074100

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Similar Records

Title: A New Vision for Fusion Energy Research: Fusion Rocket Engines for Planetary Defense

Abstract

Citation Formats

The dilemma of nuclear energy in space journal, January 2015

Interstellar transport journal, October 1968

Case and Development Path for Fusion Propulsion journal, March 2015

Dawn: A mission in development for exploration of main belt asteroids Vesta and Ceres journal, June 2006

Realizing "2001: A Space Odyssey" - Piloted spherical torus nuclear fusion propulsion conference, February 2013

Ion Propulsion Development Projects in U.S.: Space Electric Rocket Test I to Deep Space 1 journal, May 2001

Generic Magnetic Fusion Rocket Model journal, July 1998

Space Propulsion by Fusion in a Magnetic Dipole journal, August 1992

"7-Launch" NTR Space Transportation Option for NASA's Mars Design Reference Architecture (DRA) 5.0 conference, June 2012

High-energy space propulsion based on magnetized target fusion conference, February 2013

A direct fusion drive for rocket propulsion journal, December 2014

An historical perspective of the NERVA nuclear rocket engine technology program conference, February 2013

Design and analysis of the SAFE-400 space fission reactor conference, January 2002

Application of Recommended Design Practices for Conceptual Nuclear Fusion Space Propulsion Systems conference, June 2012

Effects of propagation distance and half angle on the merging of hypervelocity plasma jets journal, May 2019

The dilemma of nuclear energy in space
journal, January 2015

Interstellar transport
journal, October 1968

Case and Development Path for Fusion Propulsion
journal, March 2015

Dawn: A mission in development for exploration of main belt asteroids Vesta and Ceres
journal, June 2006

Realizing "2001: A Space Odyssey" - Piloted spherical torus nuclear fusion propulsion
conference, February 2013

Ion Propulsion Development Projects in U.S.: Space Electric Rocket Test I to Deep Space 1
journal, May 2001

Generic Magnetic Fusion Rocket Model
journal, July 1998

Space Propulsion by Fusion in a Magnetic Dipole
journal, August 1992

"7-Launch" NTR Space Transportation Option for NASA's Mars Design Reference Architecture (DRA) 5.0
conference, June 2012

High-energy space propulsion based on magnetized target fusion
conference, February 2013

A direct fusion drive for rocket propulsion
journal, December 2014

An historical perspective of the NERVA nuclear rocket engine technology program
conference, February 2013

Design and analysis of the SAFE-400 space fission reactor
conference, January 2002

Application of Recommended Design Practices for Conceptual Nuclear Fusion Space Propulsion Systems
conference, June 2012

Effects of propagation distance and half angle on the merging of hypervelocity plasma jets
journal, May 2019