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Antiproton powered propulsion with magnetically confined plasma enginesThe reaction of the matter-antimatter annihilation, with its specific energy being over 250 times the specific energy released in nuclear fusion, is considered as an energy source for spacecraft propulsion. A concept of a magnetically confined pulsed plasma engine is described. In this concept, antiproton beams are injected axially into a pulsed magnetic mirror system, where they annihilate with an initially neutral hydrogen gas; the resulting charge annihilation products transfer energy to the hydrogen propellant, which is then exhausted through one end of the pulsed mirror system to provide thrust. Numerical simulations were developed to calculate the annihilation rate of antiprotons in hydrogen and to follow the resulting ion, muon, and electron/positron number density evolutions.
Document ID
19890059387
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Lapointe, Michael R.
(NASA Lewis Research Center; Sverdrup Technology, Inc. Cleveland, OH, United States)
Date Acquired
August 14, 2013
Publication Date
July 1, 1989
Subject Category
Spacecraft Propulsion And Power
Report/Patent Number
AIAA PAPER 89-2334
Accession Number
89A46758
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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