Fusion Space Propulsion

Controlled fusion energy production has been under development for 60 years. The primary objective has been for creating terrestrial power plants using deuterium and tritium as fuel. Unfortunately this objective has been continuously eluded for both technical and economic reasons. However, the threshold for achieving success in applying fusion to space propulsion is considerably relaxed, especially if fuels are utilized which do not use tritium. Tritium has to be continuously bred and reactions yield fast neutrons which require shielding and periodic structural materials replacement. Such Aneutronic fusion fuels, with Hyrdogen fusing with Boron-11 have been studied extensively for space propulsion applications since the 1980s. We will review the basic fusion plasma physics and design concepts that apply aneutronic fusion for propulsion, and the requirements for transitioning to space. When applied to space or near space propulsion, they can exceed the performance any conventional electric thrusters. The future technology development of aneutronic fusion propulsion will initially be motivated by the very large GEO satellites that will be developed in the next 20 years for commercial and military broadband communication. Further development of very high power propulsion systems (> 100 kW) to Mars and beyond will require major developments in all technology areas for confinement pulsed power and ion fuel heating.

Speaker: Vince Teofilo, Lockheed Martin/ATC