High performance manned interplanetary space vehicle using D-3He Inertial Electrostatic Fusion

A preliminary system design is presented for a high performance 100 MWe manned space vehicle in the 500 metric ton class, based on Inertial Electrostatic Fusion (IEC), with trip times to the outer planets of several months. An IEC is chosen because it simplifies structure results in a very high power to weight ratio. The fusion reactor uses D-3He fuel which generates 14.7-MeV protons as the primary reaction product. The propulsion system design philosophy is based on direct conversion of proton energy to electricity, avoiding the thermalization of the working fluid to maximize efficiency. The principle system components of crew compartment, electronics, fusion reactor, traveling wave direct energy converter, step-down transformer, rectifier, ion thruster and heat rejection radiators are described. The design requires that an IEC reactor with a proton energy gain (power in 14.7-MeV protons/input electric power) of 4 or better is necessary to keep radiator mass and size at acceptable levels. Extrapolation o...