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Fusion Ignition Rocket Engine with Ballistic Ablative Lithium LinerThermo-nuclear fusion may be the key to a high Isp, high specific power (low alpha) propulsion system. In a fusion system energy is liberated within, and imparted directly to, the propellant. In principle, this can overcome the performance limitations inherent in systems that require thermal power transfer across a material boundary, and/or multiple power conversion stages (NTR, NEP). A thermo-nuclear propulsion system, which attempts to overcome some of the problems inherent in the ORION concept, is described. A passive tapered liner is launched behind a vehicle, through a hole in a pusher-plate, that is connected to the vehicle by a shock-absorbing mechanism. A dense FRC plasmoid is then accelerated to high velocity (in excess of 1,000 km/s) and shot through the hole into the liner, when it has reached a given point down-range. The kinetic energy of the FRC is converted into thermal and magnetic-field energy, igniting a fusion bum in the magnetically confined plasma. The fusion reaction serves as an ignition source for the liner, which is made out of detonable materials. The energy liberated in this process is converted to thrust by the pusher-plate, as in the classic ORION concept. However with this concept, the vehicle does not carry a magazine of pre-fabricated pulse-units. A magnetic nozzle may also be used, in place of the pusher-plate. Estimates of the conditions needed to achieve a sufficient gain will be presented, along with a description of the driver characteristics. The incorporation of this concept into the propulsion system of a spacecraft will also be discussed.
Document ID
20050180628
Acquisition Source
Headquarters
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Martin, Adam
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Eskridge, Richard
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Fimognari, Peter J., III.
(Alabama Univ. Huntsville, AL, United States)
Date Acquired
August 23, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2005
Subject Category
Spacecraft Propulsion And Power
Meeting Information
Meeting: NASA/JPL/MSFC 16th Annual Event Propulsion Workshop
Location: Huntsville, AL
Country: United States
Start Date: April 7, 2005
End Date: April 8, 2005
Sponsors: NASA Headquarters, Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech., NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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