Antiproton-annihilation propulsion. Final report, 1 April 1984-31 January 1985

Technical Report · Sun Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1985

OSTI ID:5979944

Forward, R L

Antiproton-annihilation propulsion is a new form of space propulsion, where milligrams of antimatter are used to heat tons of reaction fluid to high temperatures. The hot reaction fluid is exhausted from a nozzle to produce high thrust at high specific impulse. This study was to determine the physical, engineering, and economic feasibility of antiproton-annihilation propulsion. The conclusion of the study is that antiproton propulsion is feasible, but expensive. Because the low mass of the antimatter fuel more than compensates for its high price, comparative mission studies show that antimatter fuel can be cost effective in space, where even normal chemical fuel is expensive because its mass must be lifted into orbit before it can be used. Antiproton-annihilation propulsion is mission-enabling, in that it allows missions to be performed that cannot be performed by any other propulsion system.

• Research Organization: Dayton Univ., OH (USA). Research Inst.
• OSTI ID: 5979944
• Report Number(s): AD-A-160734/0/XAB; UDR-TR-85-55
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420100* -- Engineering-- General Engineering-- (-1987)
645203 -- High Energy Physics-- Particle Interactions & Properties-Theoretical-- Weak Interactions & Properties
657006 -- Theoretical Physics-- Statistical Physics & Thermodynamics-- (-1987)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
AMBIPLASMA
ANNIHILATION
ANTIBARYONS
ANTIMATTER
ANTINUCLEI
ANTINUCLEONS
ANTIPARTICLES
ANTIPROTONS
BARYONS
BASIC INTERACTIONS
ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERACTIONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FERMIONS
HADRONS
HIGH TEMPERATURE
INTERACTIONS
MASS
NUCLEI
PLASMA
PROPULSION SYSTEMS
SPACE TRANSPORT
TRANSPORT