Fusion powered aircraft

[La-Fuente Technologies]

How sophisticated a jamming suite will the B-21 likely have? B-21 could effectively replace the Growler in the RAAF jammer role, and even augment the E-7 as a deep penetration AWACS if equipped with extra AESA arrays for full coverage. There are alot of possibilities in the airframe.

I’m going to bet that it’s things that are unknown in a groundbreaking, never before seen technology and things we may never fully know about or it will be a generation or two before we do.

It can be both. Newer and more powerful versions of already-existing technologies as well as new technologies we don't know, and could never think of.

For the power propulsion side, it is possible that the first B-21s will still run on aviation fuel and thus will still have to go to tankers when they are low, but as fusion reactors are formally finalized and introduced, these may be introduced to the B-21s and replace aviation fuel in their entirely, thus allowing the B-21 to fly indefinitely (Or until the pilots decide to go back to base and spend some time on the ground). The B-21s might be among the first to be given the Compact Fusion Reactors once they are miniaturized enough to be mass-produced and installed in almost every military hardware that can house them.

For the engines, I read from a source that the B-21s might use modified Pratt & Whitney F135 engines that do not possess afterburning capabilities, but what's not to say that just like the F-35s, the B-21s might be given improved Adaptive Cycle Engines that would further increase fuel efficiency and range, while possibly allowing it to go supersonic, assuming the Adaptive Cycle Engines the B-21 will get possess afterburning capabilities

For the ordinance, there is a possibility that the reason why the bomb load for the B-21 is smaller than that of the B-2 because it will have future bombs that will be many times smaller than current bombs and pack the same punch as them. Even cruise missiles themselves are becoming slightly smaller the newer they are, and as a result they are lighter and easier to deploy from even cargo aircraft without any modifications to the deploying plane (Rapid Dragon). So what's not to say that a modified version of Rapid Dragon can be given to the B-21 in order for it to have the capability to fire several salvos of cruise missiles while staying away from the enemy's airspace.

For electronics, we already know that the B-21 can fulfill many roles with regards to its situational awareness. It can play a command and control role, a reconnaissance role, and even pinpoint enemy targets for other B-21s or other aircraft to destroy. Basically the same things the F-35 had, but far more advanced

And finally, while we do not fully know what new technologies will be present, we can think of a few:
-Reflective Camoflauge (If implemented, it can make the B-21 not just nearly invisible to Radar and IR, but also in visible light.

-Special sound mufflers, to reduce the noise the engines make, and thus reduce the enemy's readiness to prepare for a bombing run should the B-21 go on a low-altitude mission. Of course, this tech would be redundant if it's going on a high-altitude mission.

-Laser Weaponry. Realistically, the B-21 can be a testbed for newly-designed laser weapon systems before they will eventually be installed onto future Sixth-Generation Fighters like the Next Generation Air Dominance. It is big enough to house one, has enough power to operate it (Moreso if it has a compact Fusion Reactor), and it would primarily be used to take down enemy interceptors or in a CIWS role to stop incoming projectiles from either hitting the B-21 itself, other friendlies, or even far-off friendly cities, bases and other targets

And a few more that we obviously don't know at all

Edit: This is now a thread about Fusion Powered Aircraft, so the parts about future technologies except for the Fusion Power might be irrelevant now

 

[TomS]

For the power propulsion side, it is possible that the first B-21s will still run on aviation fuel and thus will still have to go to tankers when they are low, but as fusion reactors are formally finalized and introduced, these may be introduced to the B-21s and replace aviation fuel in their entirely, thus allowing the B-21 to fly indefinitely

You don't seriously think that fusion power will be available to power aircraft in the next 30 years, do you? It won't. We're still decades away from making it feasible for ground-based commercial power generation. The latest "break-even" fusion testbed still needs orders of magnitude improvement to actually produce usable power.

 

[La-Fuente Technologies]

For the power propulsion side, it is possible that the first B-21s will still run on aviation fuel and thus will still have to go to tankers when they are low, but as fusion reactors are formally finalized and introduced, these may be introduced to the B-21s and replace aviation fuel in their entirely, thus allowing the B-21 to fly indefinitely

You don't seriously think that fusion power will be available to power aircraft in the next 30 years, do you? It won't. We're still decades away from making it feasible for ground-based commercial power generation. The latest "break-even" fusion testbed still needs orders of magnitude improvement to actually produce usable power.

I didn't say it will come soon, but it would come when it will come. Still, I think there will still be B-21 airframes operating by the time the first actual production fusion reactors will be available to the Air Force. Given that the B-21 is designed to be modular, and thus easily modified and upgradable every generation, it might have the same longevity as the B-52s, and as such, it would probably be able to be modified to eventually house a fusion reactor

Of course, these kinds of research take a long time, and it would definitely take decades before we get the first properly working Fusion Reactors, but when they finally get into production, the B-21s will still be around to eventually house them.

 

[TomS]

I didn't say it will come soon, but it would come when it will come. Still, I think there will still be B-21 airframes operating by the time the first actual production fusion reactors will be available to the Air Force. Given that the B-21 is designed to be modular, and thus easily modified and upgradable every generation, it might have the same longevity as the B-52s, and as such, it would probably be able to be modified to eventually house a fusion reactor

I rather doubt it. If (and this is a big IF) fusion power becomes a reality for aircraft, the results will be so unlike fossil-fuel aircraft that they will have to be designed from scratch. Little things like not needing fuel tanks, for instance.

 

[sferrin]

I didn't say it will come soon, but it would come when it will come. Still, I think there will still be B-21 airframes operating by the time the first actual production fusion reactors will be available to the Air Force. Given that the B-21 is designed to be modular, and thus easily modified and upgradable every generation, it might have the same longevity as the B-52s, and as such, it would probably be able to be modified to eventually house a fusion reactor

I rather doubt it. If (and this is a big IF) fusion power becomes a reality for aircraft, the results will be so unlike fossil-fuel aircraft that they will have to be designed from scratch. Little things like not needing fuel tanks, for instance.

And about 500 years in the future.

 

[La-Fuente Technologies]

I didn't say it will come soon, but it would come when it will come. Still, I think there will still be B-21 airframes operating by the time the first actual production fusion reactors will be available to the Air Force. Given that the B-21 is designed to be modular, and thus easily modified and upgradable every generation, it might have the same longevity as the B-52s, and as such, it would probably be able to be modified to eventually house a fusion reactor

I rather doubt it. If (and this is a big IF) fusion power becomes a reality for aircraft, the results will be so unlike fossil-fuel aircraft that they will have to be designed from scratch. Little things like not needing fuel tanks, for instance.

I agree. There's little to no need for a new design should Fusion Reactors be introduced to an existing piece of hardware. Maybe some modifications here and there to process the new power source, but changes should be minimal.

In fact, according to one of the diagrams from Lockheed Martin's patent for their Compact Fusion Reactor, the Fusion Reactor itself can generate the heat necessary to create the combustion process to power a plane's turbines, in that instance a B-52, and thus, the heat from the Fusion Reactor will now serve as the "fuel" for the aircraft in doing so. The only modification needed is to replace the combustors in the engines with a heat exchange system that is connected directly to the Fusion Reactor itself.

Patent file will be presented here, as well as a Sandboxx News video describing it

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Vdag-7McJQ


Of course, you are right in saying that this technology is still decades ahead of us, and will not see the light of day for a long while, but the applications of it in regards to powering Military hardware are very promising. And to go back on topic, that's definitely something the B-21 can immensely benefit in the long run, when it eventually happens

 

[La-Fuente Technologies]

I didn't say it will come soon, but it would come when it will come. Still, I think there will still be B-21 airframes operating by the time the first actual production fusion reactors will be available to the Air Force. Given that the B-21 is designed to be modular, and thus easily modified and upgradable every generation, it might have the same longevity as the B-52s, and as such, it would probably be able to be modified to eventually house a fusion reactor

I rather doubt it. If (and this is a big IF) fusion power becomes a reality for aircraft, the results will be so unlike fossil-fuel aircraft that they will have to be designed from scratch. Little things like not needing fuel tanks, for instance.

And about 500 years in the future.

500 years is a bit too long. Optimistically, I'd estimate 50-100 years, at most 200-300 years. But I would probably not be surprised if somehow, we have it in less than 50 years, given how advanced our technology is getting, and how fast and accelerating it is moving towards the future. Not to mention, there's just so much that we don't know in these programs, and perhaps these real-life estimations of Fusion Energy becoming reality are probably there to throw us off their trail for a good while, so I'll just keep posted on what might possibly happen in the future

Whether it comes in 50 years, in 500 years, or in 5000 years, Fusion Energy will eventually come (Unless we blow ourselves apart first)

 

[TomS]

gree. There's little to no need for a new design should Fusion Reactors be introduced to an existing piece of hardware. Maybe some modifications here and there to process the new power source, but changes should be minimal.

In fact, according to one of the diagrams from Lockheed Martin's patent for their Compact Fusion Reactor, the Fusion Reactor itself can generate the heat necessary to create the combustion process to power a plane's turbines, in that instance a B-52, and thus, the heat from the Fusion Reactor will now serve as the "fuel" for the aircraft in doing so. The only modification needed is to replace the combustors in the engines with a heat exchange system that is connected directly to the Fusion Reactor itself.

Patent file will be presented here, as well as a Sandboxx News video describing it

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Vdag-7McJQ


Of course, you are right in saying that this technology is still decades ahead of us, and will not see the light of day for a long while, but the applications of it in regards to powering Military hardware are very promising. And to go back on topic, that's definitely something the B-21 can immensely benefit in the long run, when it eventually happens

So, I've read the patent. Sandboxx are grossly overstating what the patent claims. The only reference to an F-16 is that Lockheed have used a crude sketch of one as an illustration of their proposed aircraft embodiment. The B-52 doesn't even get that -- the diagram of the aircraft embodiment of the patent just shows a schematic of a 4-engine aircraft, no hint of external shape at all.

BY the time fusion could even be potentially possible for aircraft, the B-21 will be a long way down the back half of its service life. No one is going to bother retrofitting it, at great expense, just to get a few more years of life. If fusion comes into use, I think it's far more likely we'll just power aircraft using synthetic fuels made using electricity from a fusion plant.

 

[Forest Green]

A fusion powered fighter would be a spacecraft. No need to muck about breathing air.

Here it talks about a prototype the size of a freight container in a year. But so far 4 years have passed with zero working fusion designs anywhere.

Lockheed Martin Now Has a Patent For Its Potentially World Changing Fusion Reactor

When it first announced the project, the company said it could have a working prototype of the revolutionary power source as early as 2019.

www.thedrive.com

 

[TomS]

A fusion powered fighter would be a spacecraft. No need to muck about breathing air.

Still needs reaction mass

 

[Forest Green]

Still needs reaction mass

Yes, but it wouldn't need air/oxygen, just propellant.

 

[sferrin]

Still needs reaction mass

Yes, but it wouldn't need air/oxygen, just propellant.

If you had fusion power you could take the compressor from a jet engine, power it electrically, and then mix your fusion exhaust with the airflow.

 

[TomS]

Still needs reaction mass

Yes, but it wouldn't need air/oxygen, just propellant.

But the sort of fusion-powered plane described in the LM patent (for example), isn't a spacecraft because it's still using atmospheric air as the reaction mass even if it doesn't need fuel to provide the heat.

Sure, you could also use a fusion plant like that to make a rocket (likely with hydrogen as your reaction mass) but it's a different beast, a nuclear thermal rocket.

 

[PMN1]

A fusion powered fighter would be a spacecraft. No need to muck about breathing air.

Here it talks about a prototype the size of a freight container in a year. But so far 4 years have passed with zero working fusion designs anywhere.

Lockheed Martin Now Has a Patent For Its Potentially World Changing Fusion Reactor

When it first announced the project, the company said it could have a working prototype of the revolutionary power source as early as 2019.

www.thedrive.com

I vaguely remember reading a few months ago, the projected size had increased a little.....to something at least 10 times the original plan.

 

[Forest Green]

Still needs reaction mass

Yes, but it wouldn't need air/oxygen, just propellant.

But the sort of fusion-powered plane described in the LM patent (for example), isn't a spacecraft because it's still using atmospheric air as the reaction mass even if it doesn't need fuel to provide the heat.

Sure, you could also use a fusion plant like that to make a rocket (likely with hydrogen as your reaction mass) but it's a different beast, a nuclear thermal rocket.

Could be both, air in the atmosphere, propellant outside.

 

[La-Fuente Technologies]

I woke up and found out that I indirectly created a new thread. Oh well, let's dig in

That being said, let me respond to some messages right here:

So, I've read the patent. Sandboxx are grossly overstating what the patent claims. The only reference to an F-16 is that Lockheed have used a crude sketch of one as an illustration of their proposed aircraft embodiment. The B-52 doesn't even get that -- the diagram of the aircraft embodiment of the patent just shows a schematic of a 4-engine aircraft, no hint of external shape at all.

BY the time fusion could even be potentially possible for aircraft, the B-21 will be a long way down the back half of its service life. No one is going to bother retrofitting it, at great expense, just to get a few more years of life. If fusion comes into use, I think it's far more likely we'll just power aircraft using synthetic fuels made using electricity from a fusion plant.

I see. The way I see it, it could also not necessarily be synthetic fuel but some material that will help conduct the heat from the Fusion Reactor to the combustor, probably something that is in a state of superheat. I would probably say Water, but it might not have enough properties to properly transfer enough heat to initiate combustion, so some other liquid material that can carry the necessary temperatures can do the trick. Either way, if that's what's gonna happen, we may indirectly see a return to the boiler concept for these future aircraft that will use the Fusion Reactor

A fusion powered fighter would be a spacecraft. No need to muck about breathing air.

Here it talks about a prototype the size of a freight container in a year. But so far 4 years have passed with zero working fusion designs anywhere.

Lockheed Martin Now Has a Patent For Its Potentially World Changing Fusion Reactor

When it first announced the project, the company said it could have a working prototype of the revolutionary power source as early as 2019.

www.thedrive.com

I vaguely remember reading a few months ago, the projected size had increased a little.....to something at least 10 times the original plan.

Heard the same too, maybe because at its current size, it wouldn't generate enough power. But with the Ignition having already happened, they may be finding new ways to scale back the size to its original concept, or perhaps make it even smaller. It would take a long while, but maybe we'll get there as soon as it is ready

A fusion powered fighter would be a spacecraft. No need to muck about breathing air.

Here it talks about a prototype the size of a freight container in a year. But so far 4 years have passed with zero working fusion designs anywhere.

Lockheed Martin Now Has a Patent For Its Potentially World Changing Fusion Reactor

When it first announced the project, the company said it could have a working prototype of the revolutionary power source as early as 2019.

www.thedrive.com

That is also true. Fusion Power would not just greatly benefit atmospheric craft, but they would benefit spacecraft all the more. If we have a probe installed with one, and enough saltwater supply for potentially countless thousands or near-infinite years, then the probe can be used to be propelled to the nearest star, and possibly have powerful engines that would allow it to travel many times faster than the current speed of Voyager 1 (15km per second), perhaps up to 20 or 30% lightspeed.

But to make that all work, said probe should be a solar sail design, with the reactor at the very center. That way, it can easily move through space, as the Solar Sail will accelerate the probe as it is pushed by the Solar Wind. That, combined with the engines, will allow it to move at a tremendous speed and easily get it to beyond the Sun's escape velocity

Not to mention, its longevity will ensure that it remains at optimal levels throughout its entire mission, instead of degrading in instrument quality or even outright losing power to some systems as the years pass. The only thing we will struggle now, is with Communication to the Probe. If we can somehow invent a method that will supercharge Radio Waves to a rather impossible beyond-light speed so as to allow instant communication, that would mean that the Probe can give us data in real time, instead of having to wait 14 hours per mission. But of course, that would be impossible to do (But who knows)

 

[La-Fuente Technologies]

One aircraft that can possibly use Fusion Reactors as their main power source (And stay in the air for as long as possible) would be aircraft that would serve as:

-Motherships, holding drones inside its body that will be unleashed at the first moment of an airspace intrusion
-Strategic Deterrence Bombers that would contain ICBMs or Highly Advanced Nuclear Cruise Missiles inside its body, basically Operation Chrome Dome, but far more safe and without the need of a Refueling Tanker
-Advanced Cargo, Transport or Freight aircraft, that can carry more tons of cargo than before, and can also aid in the Deterrence role by having rows upon rows of Rapid Dragons to respond to any threats if they need to
-A more permanent AWACS aircraft, one that has a much greater range and radar radius, and can loiter over the sky for long periods
-A hybrid Aircraft/Spacecraft Experimental or Prototype craft, much like the Space Shuttle. Might be more useful for NASA and the Space Force than the Air Force however

Of course, these are just the ones at the top of my head. There can be far more aircraft that would greatly benefit from having a Fusion Reactor, as their roles will be expanded, and greatly improved upon

 

[flateric]

For the power propulsion side, it is possible that the first B-21s will still run on aviation fuel and thus will still have to go to tankers when they are low, but as fusion reactors are formally finalized and introduced, these may be introduced to the B-21s and replace aviation fuel in their entirely, thus allowing the B-21 to fly indefinitely

have you watched a video you have posted?

 

[F-2]

I’ve seen working on a sci fi project with fusion aircraft and having an impossible time getting any information on it. This kinda thing is very helpful.

 

[NUSNA_Moebius]

I would figure a fusion powered aircraft would be akin to a nuclear fission one sans the radiation hazards in terms of operation. Engine cycle config I would assume would still be analogous to liquid fuel engines using turbine and compressor sections to boost pressure ratios for the most thrust per BTU of input. For high speed platforms, a proper ramjet would probably be less temperamental without having to balance out fuel/air mixture. Just open the intake and go (assuming already established speed).

 

[La-Fuente Technologies]

For the power propulsion side, it is possible that the first B-21s will still run on aviation fuel and thus will still have to go to tankers when they are low, but as fusion reactors are formally finalized and introduced, these may be introduced to the B-21s and replace aviation fuel in their entirely, thus allowing the B-21 to fly indefinitely

have you watched a video you have posted?

I did, a few bottles of Hydrogen is nothing compared to Gallons of fuel for an aircraft, so might as well be non-existent at all. Besides, I'm sure even in the far future when Fusion Reactors are a thing, they will still be continually upgraded and improved to become more efficient, so it may be that one day, there will be Fusion Reactors that will not rely on external Hydrogen at all, but rather, will have a device that will "make" Hydrogen (More like take out some Hydrogen atoms from the outside and turn it into its Deuterium isotope) for it, thus no more need to "refuel" it with Hydrogen per year

 

[La-Fuente Technologies]

I would figure a fusion powered aircraft would be akin to a nuclear fission one sans the radiation hazards in terms of operation. Engine cycle config I would assume would still be analogous to liquid fuel engines using turbine and compressor sections to boost pressure ratios for the most thrust per BTU of input. For high speed platforms, a proper ramjet would probably be less temperamental without having to balance out fuel/air mixture. Just open the intake and go (assuming already established speed).

As a Fusion-Powered Aircraft, it would be far more power and fuel-efficient than a Fission-Powered Aircraft. The Engine Cycle might be mostly a heat-exchange unit that moves the heat from the Fusion Reactors to combust the combustors for the turbines, though I think some form of superheated liquid is needed to do the proper heat exchange, so it would kinda be like a future boiler of sorts. Also, it's possible that aside from a Ramjet, a Fusion-Powered Aircraft that would be a high speed platform can also have scramjets, or specialized adaptive engines that can switch between these modes depending on the speed.

 

[F-2]

Fission powered aircraft needed an enormous amount of shielding that added a lot of weight. Fusion could make fuel fraction negligible and give absurd thrust to weight.

 

[Nik]

"Here it talks about a prototype the size of a freight container in a year. But so far 4 years have passed with zero working fusion designs anywhere."

Sadly, Fusion scoffs at peroptimistic plans. IIRC, even the Chinese had to shelve rock-solid 5-year plans for fusion-powered pumping stations for their vast irrigation canals. Seems they've so-quietly segued to 'renewables' via linear-ish 'power farms' along the canal routes. Happens the task actually fits 'renewables' rather well due to vast buffer capacity of those canals. Plus 'economies of scale', cheaper by the many-dozens...

For several years, I followed eg Polywell developments, as those might side-step the mega-hardware needed for lasers or tokomaks. But, nothing came of them. The Polywell guru's death didn't help...

IMHO, there's still the possibility of a 'small fusor' design appearing from 'left field', trumping the mega-projects. Sadly, even less likely than me writing a couple of best-selling SciFi books...

 

[La-Fuente Technologies]

Fission powered aircraft needed an enormous amount of shielding that added a lot of weight. Fusion could make fuel fraction negligible and give absurd thrust to weight.

That much is true. Fusion is relatively much safer, and it will have emergencies and countermeasures in place that will prevent any disruptions to its processes if the reactor is compromised. And Fusion would be the proper system to power up future ramjet and scramjet designs, as well as future spacecraft

 

[La-Fuente Technologies]

"Here it talks about a prototype the size of a freight container in a year. But so far 4 years have passed with zero working fusion designs anywhere."

Sadly, Fusion scoffs at peroptimistic plans. IIRC, even the Chinese had to shelve rock-solid 5-year plans for fusion-powered pumping stations for their vast irrigation canals. Seems they've so-quietly segued to 'renewables' via linear-ish 'power farms' along the canal routes. Happens the task actually fits 'renewables' rather well due to vast buffer capacity of those canals. Plus 'economies of scale', cheaper by the many-dozens...

For several years, I followed eg Polywell developments, as those might side-step the mega-hardware needed for lasers or tokomaks. But, nothing came of them. The Polywell guru's death didn't help...

IMHO, there's still the possibility of a 'small fusor' design appearing from 'left field', trumping the mega-projects. Sadly, even less likely than me writing a couple of best-selling SciFi books...

If any, I'd still be positive about Fusion Energy on the premise that what is known and revealed to us, is nothing compared to what's actually going on deep within. For all we know, they have made strides in this type of technology, just that they aren't revealing it to us yet for various reasons, and they will rather optimally spoonfeed us with certain information at certain times, whenever and wherever they want.

So, I'll just stay on point and see what happens. And see what will eventually be declassified and then announced to the public.

 

[TomS]

I don't think it's plausible that fusion power has been successfully developed in a black program. It would just be far too significant and important outside of defense applications to be kept secret.

 

[La-Fuente Technologies]

I don't think it's plausible that fusion power has been successfully developed in a black program. It would just be far too significant and important outside of defense applications to be kept secret.

Who knows. It may also be that it's far too important to be fully unveiled at this time. Regardless of the design and classification philosophies they may have, the Fusion Reactors might have their first time use in a Military setting, and will take sometime before it is unveiled. When it will be unveiled will depend on the ones behind the project.

It was the same for Fission Power, nuclear power plants and facilities weren't commonplace until the existence of the Nuke was fully revealed, so in the same way, Fusion Power might not be revealed until it is fully revealed in some military capacity first, most likely it will be unveiled as a piece of military hardware and/or technology that is powered by such a reactor firsthand.

 

[starviking]

Fission powered aircraft needed an enormous amount of shielding that added a lot of weight. Fusion could make fuel fraction negligible and give absurd thrust to weight.

That much is true. Fusion is relatively much safer, and it will have emergencies and countermeasures in place that will prevent any disruptions to its processes if the reactor is compromised. And Fusion would be the proper system to power up future ramjet and scramjet designs, as well as future spacecraft

I’d urge caution on the idea that fusion shielding will be negligible. Fusion produces neutron radiation, and whilst the shielding for that is lighter than needed for gamma radiation, gamma radiation is a byproduct of the shielding absorbing neutrons - so some heavy shielding may be required.

 

[flateric]

For the power propulsion side, it is possible that the first B-21s will still run on aviation fuel and thus will still have to go to tankers when they are low, but as fusion reactors are formally finalized and introduced, these may be introduced to the B-21s and replace aviation fuel in their entirely, thus allowing the B-21 to fly indefinitely

have you watched a video you have posted?

I did, a few bottles of Hydrogen is nothing compared to Gallons of fuel for an aircraft, so might as well be non-existent at all.

It seems you've missed 'the size of C-5" part.

 

[La-Fuente Technologies]

For the power propulsion side, it is possible that the first B-21s will still run on aviation fuel and thus will still have to go to tankers when they are low, but as fusion reactors are formally finalized and introduced, these may be introduced to the B-21s and replace aviation fuel in their entirely, thus allowing the B-21 to fly indefinitely

have you watched a video you have posted?

I did, a few bottles of Hydrogen is nothing compared to Gallons of fuel for an aircraft, so might as well be non-existent at all.

It seems you've missed 'the size of C-5" part.

I see. I do miss details sometimes. Sorry if I'm not as perfect as I should be.

Regardless, if this Fusion Reactor is as compact as it is, then size should not be a problem. Moreso that the fuel it uses at its current proposal is at most a few bottles of pure Hydrogen per year

However, if the report is correct that the actual size of the Reactor is now 10 times bigger, than that should be a problem

 

[publiusr]

We may have fusion spacecraft first-a dish/sail/Medusa thing reflecting beamed energy to pellets released behind-or maybe ahead to brake with reflectors and the dish inverting like a windblown umbrella. As for aircraft, NextBigFuture has an article on fission Helicarriers being do-able.

 

[stealthflanker]

This sounds really like what was Nuclear airborne propulsion offered decades ago. Kinda feel too good to be true tbh.

I would feel when such power source become available, the way aircraft is designed will also drastically changes. For starter,fusion needs large energy to start which mandating some powerful network of capacitors.

NextBigFuture has an article on fission Helicarriers being do-able.

This would be interesting, reminds me of some thoughts i did after watching Avengers.

 

[La-Fuente Technologies]

This sounds really like what was Nuclear airborne propulsion offered decades ago. Kinda feel too good to be true tbh.

I would feel when such power source become available, the way aircraft is designed will also drastically changes. For starter,fusion needs large energy to start which mandating some powerful network of capacitors.

NextBigFuture has an article on fission Helicarriers being do-able.

This would be interesting, reminds me of some thoughts i did after watching Avengers.

I did like the Helicarrier designs in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, more especially the ones from Winter Soldier as they have repulsor propulsion and a crack-ton of battleship-grade guns. But practically, these kinds of flying carriers may never see the light of day until they can design powerful plasma shield-based technology for it.

That being said, there were some planned flying carrier designs (Which are actually just 747's with a modified fuselage to carry specialized parasite aircraft), but it would be off-topic to discuss it.

What can be excusable to be both big, carry aircraft and be powered by fusion reactors is a large spaceship, preferably those that have nuclear pulse propulsion (Where it drops specialized nuclear bombs to "propel" the spaceship forward), and with enough life support systems to last throughout its journey, because even with the propulsion mentioned, it might take several hundreds of years just to go to Proxima Centauri, and a few more years to Alpha Centauri.

Going back to the topic, what might be the most realistic form of a "Helicarrier" that is also practical, is a large drone mothership aircraft, perhaps one that would be the largest aircraft in the world if made, as it would be longer than the An-225 Miriya, and a longer wingspan than the Stratolaunch. It would be the right size and design to both contain an army of small parasite drones that can fulfill a variety of roles, while also being aerodynamic enough to move as fast as it could, as it would have engines that will have thrust levels so powerful, its weight would mean nothing to it. In addition to these, they can house a number of stand-off weapons so that it can fire at enemy targets from BVR, and thus mask its presence.

 

[La-Fuente Technologies]

We may have fusion spacecraft first-a dish/sail/Medusa thing reflecting beamed energy to pellets released behind-or maybe ahead to brake with reflectors and the dish inverting like a windblown umbrella.

Yep, that's the one. If I remember, the one you mentioned was the basis for the Project Orion spacecraft (Not to be confused with the Orion Capsule that's on the Artemis Program). And indeed, the name of its propulsion is called Nuclear Pulse Propulsion.

I know Wikipedia's not really a credible source, but here:

Project Orion (nuclear propulsion) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[La-Fuente Technologies]

Fission powered aircraft needed an enormous amount of shielding that added a lot of weight. Fusion could make fuel fraction negligible and give absurd thrust to weight.

That much is true. Fusion is relatively much safer, and it will have emergencies and countermeasures in place that will prevent any disruptions to its processes if the reactor is compromised. And Fusion would be the proper system to power up future ramjet and scramjet designs, as well as future spacecraft

I’d urge caution on the idea that fusion shielding will be negligible. Fusion produces neutron radiation, and whilst the shielding for that is lighter than needed for gamma radiation, gamma radiation is a byproduct of the shielding absorbing neutrons - so some heavy shielding may be required.

Didn't see this one until now, and I agree with it. It may be a bit lighter than a fission shielding, but it would be best not to take our chances. Preferably a capsule that can easily absorb the particles and not make them go critical can do the trick but it would be a matter of how this capsule would be made: With what kind of materials will it have, how large or small will it be, how thick or thin, where it will be best placed, etc.

 

[Justo Miranda]

Captain Scarlet - Angel launch | "Angel One, immediately launch!" The Spectrum Angels leave Cloudbase for another mission! | By Official Gerry AndersonFacebook

"Angel One, immediately launch!" The Spectrum Angels leave Cloudbase for another mission!

www.facebook.com

 

[Foo Fighter]

Pardon my ignorance but, fusion power would still strew contaminated material all over in an accident. Why would this be considered a smart thing to risk?

 

[Forest Green]

We may have fusion spacecraft first-a dish/sail/Medusa thing reflecting beamed energy to pellets released behind-or maybe ahead to brake with reflectors and the dish inverting like a windblown umbrella.

Yep, that's the one. If I remember, the one you mentioned was the basis for the Project Orion spacecraft (Not to be confused with the Orion Capsule that's on the Artemis Program). And indeed, the name of its propulsion is called Nuclear Pulse Propulsion.

I know Wikipedia's not really a credible source, but here:

Project Orion (nuclear propulsion) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

View attachment 689763

Z-pinch and Theta-pinch nozzles have been mentioned in various places.

 

[Forest Green]

Pardon my ignorance but, fusion power would still strew contaminated material all over in an accident. Why would this be considered a smart thing to risk?

I think the quantity is very small compared to fission.