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

Journal Article · · Journal of Fusion Energy
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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.

Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES)
Grant/Contract Number:
no DOE funding?; AC52-06NA25396
OSTI ID:
1503045
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1256789; OSTI ID: 1291218
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-15-23198; PII: 34
Journal Information:
Journal of Fusion Energy, Journal Name: Journal of Fusion Energy Vol. 35 Journal Issue: 1; ISSN 0164-0313
Publisher:
Springer Science + Business MediaCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 6 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

References (14)

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Interstellar transport journal October 1968
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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
  • Poston, David I.; Kapernick, Richard J.; Guffee, Ray M.
  • SPACE TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATIONS INTERNATIONAL FORUM- STAIF 2002, AIP Conference Proceedings https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1449775
conference January 2002
Application of Recommended Design Practices for Conceptual Nuclear Fusion Space Propulsion Systems conference June 2012

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

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Related Subjects

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