Space propulsion by fusion in a magnetic dipole

Conference · Fri Apr 12 00:00:00 EDT 1991

OSTI ID:5838865

Teller, E; Glass, A J; Fowler, T K ^[1]; Hasegawa, A ^[2]; Santarius, J F ^[3]

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1. Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
2. AT and T Bell Labs., Murray Hill, NJ (USA)
3. Wisconsin Univ., Madison, WI (USA). Fusion Technology Inst.

A conceptual design is discussed for a fusion rocket propulsion system based on the magnetic dipole configuration. The dipole is found to have features well suited to space applications. Example parameters are presented for a system producing a specific power of 1 kW/kg, capable of interplanetary flights to Mars in 90 days and to Jupiter in a year, and of extra-solar-system flights to 1000 astronomical units (the Tau mission) in 20 years. This is about 10 times better specific power toward 10 kW/kg are discussed, as in an approach to implementing the concept through proof-testing on the moon. 21 refs., 14 figs., 2 tabs.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 5838865
• Report Number(s): UCRL-JC-106807; CONF-9105177-1; ON: DE91012033
• Resource Relation: Conference: 1. international A.D. Sakharov conference on physics, Moscow (USSR), 27-31 May 1991
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
PROPULSION SYSTEMS
DESIGN
ROCKETS
THERMONUCLEAR REACTIONS
DEUTERON REACTIONS
HEAT FLOW
HELIUM 3 TARGET
INTERPLANETARY SPACE
JUPITER PLANET
MAGNETIC DIPOLES
MAGNETIC FLUX
MAGNETS
MARS PLANET
POWER
SHIELDING
THRUSTERS
CHARGED-PARTICLE REACTIONS
DIPOLES
MULTIPOLES
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEOSYNTHESIS
PLANETS
SPACE
SYNTHESIS
TARGETS
700000* - Fusion Energy
330000 - Advanced Propulsion Systems
320201 - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Transportation- Air & Aerospace