METHOD AND APPARATUS TO PRODUCE HIGH SPECIFIC IMPULSE AND MODERATE THRUST FROM A FUSION-POWERED ROCKET ENGINE

摘要

A system and method for producing and controlling high thrust and desirable specific impulse from a continuous fusion reaction is disclosed. The resultant relatively small rocket engine will have lower cost to develop, test, and operate that the prior art, allowing spacecraft missions throughout the planetary system and beyond. The rocket engine method and system includes a reactor chamber and a heating system produce fusion reactions the stable plasma. Magnets produce a magnetic field that confines the stable plasma. A fuel injection system and a propellant injection system are included. Cold propellant into a gas box for converting a cold propellant into a warm propellant plasma at one end of the reactor chamber. The propellant and fusion products are directed out of the reactor chamber through a magnetic nozzle and are detached from the magnetic field lines producing thrust.

主权项

1. A system comprising a rocket engine employing nuclear fusion with thrust augmentation, the system comprising
a reactor chamber for containing a stable plasma comprising a fusion fuel; a heating system for heating said plasma and increasing an ion energy of said plasma to a level sufficient for producing net power from fusion reactions in said stable plasma; a plurality of magnets coaxial to said reactor chamber, the plurality of magnets producing a magnetic sufficient to confine the stable plasma and promote rapid loss of fusion products into a scrape off layer; a fuel injection system for injecting additional quantities of said fusion fuel to sustain the power output of said fusion reaction; a gas box at one end of said scrape off layer for introducing a cold propellant to be heated in the reactor chamber into a warm propellant plasma; a propellant injection system for injecting said cold propellant into said gas box to augment the mass of said scrape off layer; a magnetic nozzle for directing said warm plasma on said scrape off layer out of the end of said reactor chamber distal from said gas box to create thrust; and a propellant detachment system to allow the expelled propellant to separate from said rocket engine's magnetic field in a well-directed stream.