Indra Prime
05-10-2003, 06:25
Looking for someone who can clarify the difference between a Fusion Reaction Engine and a (theoretical) Matter/Antimatter Engine.
Santa Barbara
05-10-2003, 07:30
Well I'm no rocket scientist, but a fusion reaction engine can, generally, be of two flavors. One is to create and sustain a fusion reaction, usually deuterium-tritium (or deuterium-deuterium, a few other kinds), which is used to heat up a propellant such as hydrogen and then eject that propellant out as exhaust, providing thrust. Fusion rocket, or fusion torch. The other is to use the fusion reaction to work a magnetohydrodynamic turbine, basically a fusion-electric generator.
Matter/antimatter works by taking some antimatter and colliding it with some sort of matter and using the energy from that. Otherwise being generally similar to fusion engines, except with a matter/antimatter reaction instead of fusion.
Of course theres a ton of variety in fusion. Classified by how the fusion reaction and plasma is contained, like inertial confinement fusion (ICF) or magnetic confinement fusion (MCF). Then there's fusion/fission hybrids, or fusion/antimatter things (I think, but am not sure, that muon-catalyzed fusion reactions are this type). Theres even the Orion setup where you just create a fusion reaction (fusion bomb!) and ride the explosion. This is the most simple technologically, though of course you need massive shielding and the proper distance explosion to do it right.
A lot of good stuff over at
www.islandone.org/APC
Kanuckistan
05-10-2003, 07:44
Actually, the Orion Project 'nuclear pulsed propulsion' system would involve droping small fission nukes out the back, then having them detonate, with the force of the explosion against a sturdy rear-mounted 'pusher plate' providing acceleration. I supose it could be adapted to utalise fusion-based explosives, but it's principly a fission-based idea.
Actually, the Orion Project 'nuclear pulsed propulsion' system would involve droping small fission nukes out the back, then having them detonate, with the force of the explosion against a sturdy rear-mounted 'pusher plate' providing acceleration. I supose it could be adapted to utalise fusion-based explosives, but it's principly a fission-based idea.LOL A nuclear version of a Pulse Detonation engine?!?! LOL