Researchers are tackling technological challenges to make fusion plasma engines a reality.
Florian Neukart, an assistant professor at the Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science (LIACS) at Leiden University and a board member of the Swiss quantum technology company Terra Quantum AG, believes that one of the emerging technologies that could make intergalactic travel a reality is the Magneto-Fusion Plasma Drive (MFPD), as reported by Interesting Engineering on October 8. For example, the engine design from Pulsar Fusion could reach speeds of 804,672 km/h.
Simulation of the Magneto-Fusion Plasma Drive (MFPD). (Image: Shigemi Numazawa/ Project Daedalus).
The MFPD, also known as the fusion propulsion system, is a technology currently under research and development for its potential in space exploration and interplanetary travel in the future. This propulsion system has significantly higher energy density and efficiency compared to conventional chemical rockets, as it is based on fusion reactions, the mechanism that powers the Sun and stars. For missions to distant planets or even for intergalactic travel, fusion motors could provide strong and rapid propulsion.
The MFPD relies on fusion reactions, a process that combines light atomic nuclei (typically isotopes of hydrogen such as deuterium and tritium) to release enormous amounts of energy. This process is distinct from fission reactions used in nuclear power plants and atomic bombs. Fusion reactions are utilized to generate high-speed plasma with substantial energy in the MFPD, producing thrust for the vehicle.
Compared to chemical engines, fusion propulsion systems offer numerous advantages, such as faster travel times, lower fuel consumption, and higher efficiency, enabling travel within and beyond the solar system.
“The MFPD harnesses immense energy from fusion reactions, typically involving hydrogen or helium isotopes, producing waste in the form of high-speed particle streams, thereby generating thrust in accordance with Newton’s third law,” Neukart explains. “The plasma from the fusion reaction is constrained and controlled by magnetic fields. Additionally, the MFPD design aims to convert a portion of the fusion energy into electricity to maintain the system’s operation on the spacecraft.”
However, a significant technological challenge that researchers need to overcome is creating a functional fusion propulsion system. In spacecraft, it is extremely difficult to achieve and maintain the high conditions necessary for fusion reactions. Researchers are still exploring various methods to control the plasma from these reactions.
