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Project Icarus: Nuclear Fusion Space Propulsion
Kelvin F.Long
Vice President (Europe) Icarus Interstellar
kflong@icarusinterstellar.org www.icarusinterstellar.org
Interstellar precursor missions Project Orion Propulsion Landscape Fusion Physics Fusion Propulsion for Interstellar Spacecraft Design Concepts Project Daedalus Project Icarus
• Concept Development • Icarus Leviathan • Icarus Roadmap
Conclusions
Contents
Acknowledgements: Project Icarus team
Deep Space Precursor Missions
Project Orion, 1950s-1960s
Propulsion Landscape
D + T He4(3.52MeV) + n(14.06MeV)
D + D T(1.01MeV) + p(3.03MeV)
D + D He3(0.82MeV) +n(2.45MeV)
D + He3 He4(3.67MeV) + p(14.67MeV)
Li6 + n T + He4 + 4.8MeV
Li7 + n T + He4 + n - 2.5MeV
Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF)
Fusion Reactions
sKeVmTn 32110
smn 32010
Confinement n
Inertial ~1023cm-3 <1ns
Magnetic 10-6cm-3 ~few sec
For ~10keV plasma
Lawson, (Proc.Phys.Soc, 1957)
Fusion Triple Product
Flyby Mission: 1-4 Stage
Fusion Energy for Space Missions in the 21st
Century, NASA TM4298, Normal R.Schulze, August
1991.
Enzmann (Slow Boat) Colony Starship, 1960s
Bussard Interstellar Ramjet, 1960
Project Vista, 1987 - 2000
Project Longshot, 1988
Project Daedalus, 1973 - 1978
Galactic War, Andrew Reid
Andrew Farmer
Shigemi Numazawa
Adrian Mann Adrian Mann
Don Dixon Don Davis
David A Hardy/astroart
Rick Sternbach
Adrian Mann
Project Daedalus
Project Daedalus
Project Daedalus
Project Daedalus
Project Daedalus
The purpose of Project Icarus has been defined as follows:
To design a credible interstellar probe
that is a concept design for a potential mission in the coming centuries.
To allow a direct technology comparison with Daedalus and provide an assessment of the maturity of fusion based space propulsion for future precursor missions.
To generate greater interest in the real term prospects for interstellar precursor missions that are based on credible science.
To motivate a new generation of scientists to be interested in designing space missions that go beyond our solar system.
Project Icarus, 2009 -
http://icarusinterstellar.org/
To design an unmanned probe that is capable of delivering useful scientific data about the target star, associated planetary bodies, solar environment and the interstellar medium.
The spacecraft must use current or near future technology and be designed to be launched as soon as is credibly determined.
The spacecraft must reach its stellar destination within as fast a time as possible, not exceeding a century and ideally much sooner.
The spacecraft must be designed to allow for a variety of target stars.
The spacecraft propulsion must be mainly fusion based (i.e. Daedalus).
The spacecraft mission must be designed so as to allow some deceleration for increased encounter time at the destination.
Project Icarus: Requirements
Project Icarus: Programme Management
Project Vicarus: Computational (online) Launch
Project Icarus: Concept Development
Staging Daedalus
Project Icarus: Concept Development
Project Icarus: Concept Development
Caveat: Personal Speculation.
The following is just the opinion of one designer as ‘one possible’ option for where
Icarus may go. It does not represent the official view of Project Icarus and it is pre-down select thinking, although some ideas
from the team have been incorporated.
[5] MEDUSA SAIL,
MECHAISMS &
FUEL
INTERSTELLAR
ULTRA HIGH GAIN
ANTENNA
[1] 1st STAGE
BOOST ENGINE
[2] 2nd STAGE
BOOST ENGINE
SCIENCE
PAYLOAD
[4] 3rd STAGE
DECELERATION
ENGINE
EXOSOLAR HIGH
GAIN ANTENNA
[6] MAGSAIL &
MECHANISMS
Concept Daedalus Leviathan
Total Dry S/c Mass (tons) 2,670 3,000
Total Propellant Mass (tons) 50,000 20,000
Propellant D/He3 D/T,D/D,p/B,p-
,D/He3
Acceleration Time (Years) 3.8 3
Cruise Time (Years) 46 74
Deceleration Time (Years) 0 23
Total Trip Time (Years) 49 100
Cruise Speed (km/s) 36,600 (12%c) 24,000 (8%c)
Pulse Frequency (Hz) 250 50
Pellet Gain 30-60 200-1500
Target Encounter Time ~4 days ~1 month
[3] = CRUISE
[7] = MISSION ARRIVAL
Fast ignition, shock ignition,
Antimatter Catalyzed.
Project Icarus: Leviathan Concept
STARSHIP ASSEMBLED, TUGGED TO LAUCH SITE BY NTR/ION/PLASMA DRDIVE
Project Icarus: Pathfinder & Starfinder Probe
Project Icarus: The Interstellar Roadmap
Project Icarus: The Interstellar Roadmap
The technical challenges to achieving interstellar flight are vast; power, energy, distance, speeds, assembly, fuel, cost,…..
However, interstellar travel does appear to be feasible in principle, so in the future it should become reality. Fusion propulsion is one candidate (there are others).
What may make us launch earlier is a compelling reason to go; habitable exoplanet, life, imminent threat.
Meanwhile, the dreamers play with their calculators and prepare for that day.
• “Creating a self-fulfilling Prophesy in space”
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