Neues Fusion -Raketendesign könnte die Mars -Reise auf weniger als 4 Monate senken

From the article

It seems too good to be true, but UK-based Pulsar Fusion has revealed its new Sunbird self-contained nuclear rocket tug that uses a fusion propulsion engine that could reduce a trip to Mars to under four months and Pluto to under four years.

Also from the article

Founded in 2013, [Pulsar Fusion](https://newatlas.com/space/nuclear-pulsar-fusion-test-green-hybrid-rocket/?itm_source=newatlas&itm_medium=article-body) has been on our radar for sometime and it’s been the cause of much head scratching at New Atlas editorial meetings. On the one hand, it seemed to be a very serious company producing a solid line of electric space propulsion systems as well as a hybrid liquid/solid rocket engine and space-based nuclear fission reactors, along with getting some serious development money from the British government. On the other hand, it was also making noises about a nuclear engine project that sounded so crazy that it seemed like it had to be vaporware put out for publicity.

Called Sunbird, we now have more details on the nuclear fusion rocket project that is so far along that the company expects to demonstrate it later this year and begin orbital tests in 2027.

A fusion rocket is, in theory, simpler than a fusion reactor, especially if you are willing to pay for the He3 fuel (not a cost issue for already expensive applications), but its hard to believe that this could happen in the timeframes they are discussing? Well, I hope they are on the level because it would be totally awesome, not just for Mars but also for shoving probes and orbiters to the outer planets. I will wait and see but certainly won’t be holding my breath.

I thought this would be another rehash of „nuclear pulse propulsion“ which has been theorized since the 70’s, but they claim Sunbird use magnetic accelerators to push two plasma streams into a chamber where they colide and produce fusion. The super-heated plasma then „leaks“ from the chamber, producing thrust.

The trick, as I see it, will be producing enough energy from the reaction to power the magnetic accelerators AND still have enough left over to produce thrust. They’re still going to need a way to convert the heat from the fusion reaction into electricity, and I’m assuming that building a steam turbine would be too heavy, to bulky, and too thermally unsustainable to be useful.

I’m betting that they’re going to use something like a MHD coil to generate power from the escaping energetic plasma, but I’m not sure if that would be enough to continue powering the magnetic accelerators for the next plasma pulse.

Then there’s the matter of keeping enough deuterium and helium on board. (since this isn’t a reactionless engine.)

I always wonder why they never say anything about a shield for the spaceship nose. With this speed, a collision with even a tiny piece of rock could kill the whole ship.