05-27-2020, 04:12 PM
(This post was last modified: 05-27-2020, 04:15 PM by iancampbell.)
Just a couple of minor points to start with:
The fusion technology you imply might not actually be the best option, in detail. It's quite possible (and I am neither a nuclear physicist nor an engineer) that one of the better options might be dense plasma focus (DPF) fusion using a proton/B11 mix as reactant. Advantages: much commoner materials as fuel and just about no neutrons, also getting energy out of the reaction products is easier and more efficient because they are all charged. Some more info:
https://lppfusion.com/
Another possible advantage is that it might be possible to tweak the reaction geometry to make this into a fusion drive. Yet another is that the units can probably be made quite small, suitable for something the size of a large truck.
Second, I'm not sure the kamikaze option would be used much, or if it is might be used very differently. Why? Because the best weapon of a fusion torch ship, especially at short range, is its drive exhaust. Remember the Kzinti Lesson!
The fusion technology you imply might not actually be the best option, in detail. It's quite possible (and I am neither a nuclear physicist nor an engineer) that one of the better options might be dense plasma focus (DPF) fusion using a proton/B11 mix as reactant. Advantages: much commoner materials as fuel and just about no neutrons, also getting energy out of the reaction products is easier and more efficient because they are all charged. Some more info:
https://lppfusion.com/
Another possible advantage is that it might be possible to tweak the reaction geometry to make this into a fusion drive. Yet another is that the units can probably be made quite small, suitable for something the size of a large truck.
Second, I'm not sure the kamikaze option would be used much, or if it is might be used very differently. Why? Because the best weapon of a fusion torch ship, especially at short range, is its drive exhaust. Remember the Kzinti Lesson!