Project Icarus Fusion Starship Concept Design Solutions

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FUSION STARSHIP CONCEPTS DESIGN SOLUTIONS

Rob Swinney BSc MSc MIET FBIS CEng RAF (ret’d) Deputy Executive Director I4IS Contact: [email protected] Presented at FISW 2, HQ i4is Charfield, UK 29 June 2019

Initiative for Interstellar Studies www.I4IS.org Page 1 Retired RAF Squadron Leader – Engineering Officer – Aerosystems (Avionics) (1987 – 2006)

MSc Avionics and Flight Control Systems (Cranfield University)

MSc Radio Astronomy (University of Manchester – Jodrell Bank)

BSc Astronomy and Astrophysics (University of Newcastle upon Tyne)

(In the 1980s!)

Now - Independent Consultant primarily in the Space Industry

Initiative for Interstellar Studies www.I4IS.org Page 2 FUSION STARSHIP CONCEPTS • Introduction/Background • Project Icarus • Project Daedalus • Icarus Concepts • Summary

Initiative for Interstellar Studies www.I4IS.org Page 3

Initiative for Interstellar Studies www.I4IS.org Page 4 INTERSTELLAR PRECURSOR PROBES

P10 ~13km/s, 2.6AU/year, Mar 72 P11 ~12km/s, 2.4AU/year, Apr 73

V1 ~17km/s, 3.6AU/year, Aug 77

V2 ~17km/s, 3.3AU/year, Sep 77

NH ~13km/s, 2.6AU/year, Jan 06 IDEAL ROCKET EQUATION

Konstantin Tsiolkovsky Formulated the “aviation formula” in 1887

Initiative for Interstellar Studies www.I4IS.org Page 6 EXHAUST VELOCITY PERFORMANCE

Fuel Exhaust Velocity Specific Impulse • Chemical ~ 5km/s ~500s • Ion ~ 30-100km/s ~3-10,000s • Plasma ~ 500km/s ~50,000s • Nuclear fission ~ 13,000km/s ~1,300,000s • Nuclear Fusion ~ 28,000km/s ~2,800,000s • Antimatter ~ 300,000km/s ~30,000,000s

Initiative for Interstellar Studies www.I4IS.org Page 7 PROJECT ORION (1950S-1960S) PROJECT DAEDALUS

Adrian Mann (www.bisbos.com) Initiative for Interstellar Studies www.I4IS.org Page 10 INERTIAL CONFINEMENT FUSION – DAEDALUS STYLE

1 Pellet injection gun 2 Superconducting field coils (4) 3 Electron beam generators 4 Plasma exhaust jet 5 Magnetic field 6 Energy extraction coils 7 Frozen nuclear pellet 8 Nuclear explosion 9 Reaction chamber http://www.bisbos.com/space_n_daedalus_prop.html Copyright: Adrian Mann © Initiative for Interstellar Studies www.I4IS.org Bisbos.com Page 11 IT’S A

12 Project Icarus Study Group OTHER • Pellet trajectory CHALLENGES • Electron beams FOR • Firing rate DAEDALUS • Tritium trigger • Pressurant Mass • Fuel DHe3

PROJECT ICARUS

• British Interplanetary Society initiative originally in collaboration with Tau Zero Foundation

PROJECT ICARUS - FIREFLY NATURAL PINCHES

Pinches occur naturally, with the most familiar being lightning.

The copper tube at the right (currently on display at the School of Physics, University of Sydney, Australia) was studied by Pollock and Barraclough in 1905 after it was struck by lightning. SHUMLAK’S ZAP EXPERIMENT

The ZaP Experiment was constructed in Shumlak’s lab at the University of Washington to confirm that sheared flow really does stabilize a Z-pinch.

Image courtesy of Sean Knecht, UAW (2008)

17 BASIC Z-PINCH THRUSTER DESIGNS Simplistic thruster design by Shumlak:

Slightly different design from NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center:

Image courtesy of Marshall Space Flight Center (2000)

18 FIREFLY ENGINE

19 FIREFLY - RADIATORS FIREFLY - RADIATORS FIREFLY THERMAL CONTROL

• A liquid metal evaporates in the hollow structure capturing heat in its phase change • The gas moves to the radiators, where it cools and condenses, expelling the heat. The liquid metal is pumped back to the main structure where the cycle begins again

Image: M Lamontagne FIREFLY THERMAL CONTROL

• A superconducting magnetic coil and its shielding: • The liquid metal coolant absorbs neutrons, the high density metal absorbs x-rays, heating up • The coolant evaporates, the gas carries away heat • The multilayer insulation protects the superconductors from the thermal radiation from the hot shield • Liquid nitrogen coolant removes any leftover heat to be radiated away at low temperature radiators In the image the fusion reaction is to the right

Image: M Lamontagne UPDATED FIREFLY

Freeland II, R.M. & Lamontagne M, “Firefly Icarus: An Unmanned Interstellar Probe using Z-Pinch Fusion Propulsion”, JBIS, 68, pp.68-80, 2015. PROJECT • To design a credible interstellar probe ICARUS that is a concept design for a potential mission PURPOSE • To allow a direct technology comparison with Daedalus and provide an assessment of the maturity of fusion based space propulsion • To generate greater interest in the real term prospects for interstellar precursor missions • To motivate a new generation of scientists to be interested in designing space missions that go beyond our solar system.

CASE STUDY: FUEL ACQUISITION

• Daedalus mission to mine He3 from the atmosphere of Jupiter • Alternatives include – Solar wind – Asteroids – Comets – Accelerator – The Moon – Other planets or moons

Planet Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Distance (AU) 5.2 9.5 19.2 30.1

Vescape (km/s) 59.5 35.5 21.3 23.5 Atmosphere * 89%H, 10%He 95%H, 3%He 83%H, 15%He 80%H, 19%He ICARUS INTERSTELLAR CONCEPT DESIGN COMPETITION

• Key parameters – propulsion system and fuel • Concept Design workshop 9 months later at the BIS HQ

Project Icarus –

PROJECT Ghost ICARUS - GHOST

Project Icarus – Ghost

BASIC Characteristic Selection / Value CHARACTERIS FusionTICS stages 1 for acceleration & deceleration Decelaration Magnetic sail propulsion Fusion scheme Deuterium – Deuterium Fusion Isp 540,240 s Mission duration 100 years Configuration Overall mass 153,940 tonnes 1. Dust Shield 2. Payload Payload mass 150 tonnes 3. Magnetic Sail 4. Tank Sections Dry mass 3351 tonnes 5. Radiators REVISED GHOST MISSION DESIGN • Optimum via Trade Space Analysis • Duration = 118.5 years

Acceleration Cruising Deceleration Deceleration Target system phase MagSail fusion operation

Distance 0.37 ly 3 ly 0.02 ly 0.0024 ly - End 5% c - 3470 km/s 150 km/s - velocity Duration 25.63 y 56.43 y 36 y 0.229 y -

34 REVISED GHOST MASS BUDGET

Spacecraft element Mass [mt] Tank mass 927 Payload mass 150 Sub system mass 4670 Magnetic Sail 1785 Truss structure 200 Dust shield 15 Power 20 Communication 40 ADCS 40 Tritium production (deceleration) 95 D/T tanks, pellet manufacturing, transport 20 Radiators 2500 Fusion engine mass 11144 Laser system (Laser, Sphere, Light Tubes, Ampl.) 1000 Coils 500 UO2 9537 Neutron shield 82 Accelerator 25 Spacecraft dry mass 7444 Propellant mass 247100 Acceleration 242,500 Deceleration 4600 Spacecraft total start mass 263991 PLASMA JET MAGNETO-INERTIAL FUSION - ZEUS

● The PJMIF propulsion model is a 3 stage system without any moving parts, relying largely on magnetism to produce and direct a nuclear fusion reaction.

● The key structural components are a near-parabolic nozzle, 150 plasma jet rail guns, 2 theta pinch guns, and a system of superconductor coils.

● PJMIF uses these components to form a plasma pellet, pressurize it with a liner until fusion occurs, and evacuate the reacted particles by means of a magnetic field.

● This process has the potential ● to produce unprecedented ● amounts of thrust.

ZEUS CONCEPT: AN INTERSTELLAR VOYAGE TO ALPHA CENTAURI

CREATED BY: THE PROJECT ICARUS TEAM @ DREXEL UNIVERSITY PRESENTED BY: ZACHARY BLOCK, JOHN BRESLIN,

DAVID EVINSHTEYN, DAMIEN TURCHI Project Icarus – UDD

PROJECT ICARUS – UDD CONCEPT UDD CONCEPT UDD CONCEPT

• Advantages: – Circumvent compression stage, allows direct ignition (absence of hydrodynamic instabilities and reduced plasma-laser interaction consequences). – Single PW-scale laser ignition reduces the system complexity, mass. – Gains depend solely on the size of the target. – Uses D and converts it to UDD on-board; D is abundant, stable, non-toxic and magnitudes cheaper to produce than i.e. 3He. – Allows for multi-engine, modular design which greatly increases overall system robustness and reliability, • Disadvantages: – Is UDD real? • IF it is: could be a winner. PROJECT ICARUS: RESOLUTION

Initiative for Interstellar Studies www.I4IS.org Page 45 PROJECT ICARUS: RESOLUTION

Initiative for Interstellar Studies www.I4IS.org Page 46 PROJECT ICARUS: RESOLUTION

Initiative for Interstellar Studies www.I4IS.org Page 47 Multiple Engines

• First quick and dirty look at multiple engines • T=mdot*Vex, where mdot=mpell*fhz • Typically mpell = 0.000288 kg and fhz = 150 Hz • Calculated explicitly in the code as a ‘fix’. • Results show moving to multiple engine stage significantly drops the boost phase. • Caveats: in these calculations no accounting for mass increase of system due to multiple engines and no accounting for possible performance losses Saturn V F-1 Engines elsewhere, i.e might need larger initiation power for first stage and larger radiators.

Initiative for Interstellar Studies www.I4IS.org Page 48 Initiative for Interstellar Studies www.I4IS.org Page 49 Endeavour Description

• Year, Month, Date=20160213 • Hours, Minutes, Seconds=173441.720 • ############################################################# • PPPPPPPP IIIIIIII CCCCCCCC AAAAAAAA PPPPPPPP • PP PP II CC AA AA PP PP • PP PP II CC AA AA PP PP • PPPPPPPP II CC AAAAAAAA PPPPPPPP • PP II CC AA AA PP • PP II CC AA AA PP • PP IIIIIIII CCCCCCCC AA AA PP • ############################################################# • PROJECT ICARUS CONFIGURATION AND PERFORMANCE PROGRAM • ############################################################# • • Project Icarus Configuration And Performance (PICAP) Program • Version 2.0 • ======• • The fuel reaction modelled is D(He3,He4)p • ======• • PROBLEM OUTPUT:- • • Laser beam energy per pulse (kJ): 10.0000000 • Laser beam power per pulse (W): 8.30000005E+11 • Stellar Destination Target= • Alpha Centauri B • Stellar Mass= • 0.89Ms • Particle Bombardment Shield material is Beryllium • Estimated Deburn Propellant mass requirement (tonnes): 6175.15039 • WARNING: Propellant Deburn Inconsistency with Input: 6175.15039 4000.00000 • The stage 1 fuel reaction modelled is D(He3,He4)p • The stage 2 fuel reaction modelled is D(He3,He4)p • • Target distance (LY): 4.40000010 • Payload mass (tonnes): 150.000000 • •

Initiative for Interstellar Studies www.I4IS.org Page 50 Endeavour Description

• FIRST ENGINE STAGE:- • ======• Mass (Structure(tonnes), Propellant(tonnes): 1000.00000 22000.0000 • ICF pellet mass (kg): 2.88000010E-04 • Assumed pellet burn up fraction: 0.133000001 • Number propellant tanks: 12.0000000 • Number ICF pellets (total, per tank): 7.63888845E+10 6.36574054E+09 • Pulse Frequency (Hz): 150.000000 • Mass flow rate (kg/s): 0.216000006 • Exhaust velocity (km/s): 9210.00000 • Average acceleration rate (m/s2): 0.130589411 • Mass ratio: 4.23831797 • Velocity increment (km/s, %c): 13300.7734 4.43666077 • Engine mass (tonnes): 1590.00000 • Engine Specific mass: 1.73561787E-07 • Payload/Propellant Ratio: 0.509418786 • Engine Thrust (MN): 1.98936009 • Jet Power (TW): 9.16100311 • Power Supply mass (tonnes): 45805016.0 • Assumed Radiator Efficiency (kW/kg): 300.000000 • Radiator Mass (tonnes): 91610 • Energy Release (J/pellet, J/sec, J/stage): 1.35979203E+10 2.03968807E+12 1.55809505E+23 • Q value for Pellet Ignition: 5.03626680 • Specific Power (MW/kg): 1.15232742 • Neutrons/pulse: 2.30666703E+20 • Neutrons/s: 3.46000053E+22 • Boost time (Years): 3.22749043 • Boost distance (m, AU, LY): 5.19718490E+14 3474.05420 5.49356267E-02

Initiative for Interstellar Studies www.I4IS.org Page 51 Endeavour Description

• SECOND ENGINE STAGE:- • ======• Mass (Structure(tonnes), Propellant(tonnes): 500.000000 4000.00000 • ICF pellet mass (kg): 2.88000010E-04 • Assumed pellet burn up fraction: 0.133000001 • Number propellant tanks: 4.00000000 • Number ICF pellets (total, per tank): 1.38888888E+10 3.47222221E+09 • Pulse Frequency (Hz): 150.000000 • Mass flow rate (kg/s): 4.32000011E-02 • Exhaust velocity (km/s): 9210.00000 • Average acceleration rate (m/s2): 0.158386841 • Mass ratio: 4.91523504 • Velocity increment (km/s, %c): 14665.4473 4.89186668 • Engine mass (tonnes): 318.000000 • Engine Specific mass: 1.73561773E-07 • Payload/Propellant Ratio: 0.322271049 • Payload/Propellant Ratio: 0.111321643 • Total Engine Specific mass: 1.12147610E-07 • Engine Thrust (MN): 0.397872001 • Jet Power (TW): 1.83220065 • Power Supply mass (tonnes): 9161003.00 • Assumed Radiator Efficiency (kW/kg): 300.000000 • Radiator Mass (tonnes): 18322 • Energy Release (J/pellet, J/sec, J/stage): 1.35979203E+10 2.03968807E+12 2.83290017E+22 • Q value for Pellet Ignition: 33.9948006 • Specific Power (MW/kg): 5.76163721 • Neutrons/pulse: 2.30666703E+20 • Neutrons/s: 3.46000053E+22 • Boost time (Years): 2.93408203 • Boost distance (m, AU, LY): 1.73750312E+15 11614.3262 0.183658704

Initiative for Interstellar Studies www.I4IS.org Page 52 Endeavour Description

• OVERALL PERFORMANCE:- • ======• Total Mass Ratio: 20.8323288 • Final cruise velocity (km/s, %c): -1364.67383 -0.455205917 • Total cruise distance (m, AU, LY): 3.93689802E+16 263161.656 4.16140604 • Total cruise duration (Years): 93.7936172 • Total mission duration (Years)): 99.9551926 • Total Mission Distance (m, AU, LY): 4.16262003E+16 278250.000 4.40000010 • PARTICLE SHIELD:- • ======• Particle Bombardment Shield Area (m^2): 706.858215 • Particle shield mass ablation rate (kg/s): 0.00000000 • Particle shield minimum thickness required for mission (mm): 41.0266151 • Particle shield minimum mass required for mission (tonnes): 53.6500015

Initiative for Interstellar Studies www.I4IS.org Page 53 Icarus probe Models Ship Daedalus Firefly mk V Ghost Zeus Endeavour Parameter Units Boost time days 2000 3800 6404 1500 3376.25 years 5.5 10.4 17.5 4.1 9.3 Delta V required km/s V 50000 14100 15523.5 14500 24752 % speed of light 12.67% 4.70% 5.17% 4.83% 8.25% ISP s 1,019,368 1,220,000 594,690 5,000,000 836,901 Ejection velocity (effective) m/s Ve 10,000,000 11,968,200 5,833,909 49,050,000 8,210,000 3.33% 3.99% 1.94% 16.35% 2.74% Mass ratio Mo/Mf 148.41 3.25 14.31 1.34 20.39 Ship weight at start tonnes Mo 150,000 24,000 187,587 1,000 25,238 Fuel tonnes 148,989 16,611 166,000 256 24,000 Ship weight at finish tonnes Mf 1,011 7,389 21,587 744 1,238 Time under power days 2000 3800 6404 1500 3376.25 Fuel consuption kg/s m=(Mo-Mf)/t 0.8622 0.0506 0.3000 0.0020 0.0823 Force N F=m x Ve 8,622,066 605,535 1,750,260 96,861 675,470 Nozzle efficiency n 0.98 0.8 0.85 0.8 0.8 Thrust power GW Pe=F*Ve/2 43,110 3,624 5,105 2,376 2,773 Power required to exhaust GW Pe=F*Ve/2n 43,990 4,529 6,006 2,969 3,466 Drive efficiency 99.90% 35.00% 35.00% 95.00% 35.00% Total power GW 44,034 12,941 17,161 3,126 9,903 Radiation GW 44 8,412 11,155 156 6,437 Burn up fraction 0.12 0.8 0.738 0.8 0.8 Overall efficiency 11.99% 28.00% 25.83% 76.00% 28.00% OTHER • NIF, HIPER FUSION OPTIONS • MCF • FRC • MTF • Various…and tipping point – private investment? MCF - ITER IN BUILD OTHER NEAR FUTURE - SOLAR SAILS?

Uses solar pressure to push ultra-thin thin sail to high speeds.

• IKAROS: Interplanetary Kite-craft Accelerated by Radiation Of the Sun • Launched May 2010 • 315 kg • Square sail, 20 m diagonal • 75 micro-m sheet of polymide • Spun at 20-25 rev/min to unfurl • Propelled onto Venus. • The first Solar Sail in history JAXXA

SO THIS MAY TAKE A LITTLE WHILE:

A FEW HUNDRED YEARS...? ONE HUNDRED LONG TERM YEARS THINKING

• We tend to underestimate what we can accomplish on long timescales.

British Interplanetary Society BRITISH INTERPLANETARY SOCIETY

62 REFERENCES

•Baxter, S., ‘Project Icarus: Exploring Alpha Centauri: Trajectories and Strategies for sub probe deployment’, JBIS

•Benford J., ‘Sailships Vs Fusion Rockets: The Contrarian View' JBIS, 70, pp.175-183, 2017.

•A Bond & A Martin, Project Daedalus – The Final Report on the BIS Starship Study, JBIS Supplement, 1978. (Also available in compendium book form direct from BIS.)

•Crawford, I.A., “The Astronomical, Astrobiological and Planetary Science Case for Interstellar Spaceflight”, JBIS, 62, 11/12, pp.415-421, Nov./Dec. 2009.

•Crawford, I.A., “A Comment on ‘The Far Future of Exoplanet Direct Characterization – The Case for Interstellar Space Probes’”, Astrobiology, 10, pp.853-856, 2010.

•Crawford, I.A., “Project Icarus: Astronomical Considerations Relating to the Choice of Target Star”, JBIS, 63, no.11/12, pp.419- 425, Nov./Dec. 2010. Initiative for Interstellar Studies www.I4IS.org Page 63 •Crawford, I.A., “Project Icarus: A Review of Local Interstellar Medium Properties of Relevance for Space Missions to the Nearest Stars”, Acta Astronautica, 68, 7/8, pp.691-699, April/May 2011.

•Crawford, I., ‘Project Icarus: Preliminary thoughts on the Selection of Probes and Instruments for an Icarus-Style Interstellar Mission’, JBIS,

•Freeland II, R.M. & Lamontagne M, “Firefly Icarus: An Unmanned Interstellar Probe using Z-Pinch Fusion Propulsion”, JBIS, 68, pp.68-80, 2015.

•R.M. Freeland, “Project Icarus: Fission-Fusion Hybrid Fuel for Interstellar Propulsion”, JBIS, 66, pp.290-296, 2013.

R.M. Freeland, “Firefly Icarus: An Unmanned Interstellar Probe Using Z-Pinch Fusion Propulsion”, JBIS, 68, pp.68-80, 2015.

•J.R. French, “Project Icarus: A Review of the Daedalus Main Propulsion System”, JBIS, 66, pp.248-251, 2013

•K F Long, R K Obousy, A C Tziolas, A Mann, R Osborne, A Presby and M Fogg, Project Icarus: Son of Daedalus – Flying Closer to Another Star”, JBIS, 62, pp.403-416, 2010.

•Long, K F, ‘Project Icarus: Development of Fusion Based Space Propulsion for Interstellar Missions’, JBIS, 69, pp.??-??, 2016

•Long K F, ‘Project Icarus: The Motivation behind Fusion Propulsion, JBIS,

•K.F.Long, R.Obousy, A.Tziolas, P Galea, R Swinney, Project Icarus: The Origins and Aims Of The Theoretical Starship Design Study’, JBIS

•Milne, P., Lamontagne M., Freeland II, R.M., 'Project Icarus: Communications Data Link Designs Between Icarus and Earth and Between Icarus Spacecraft' JBIS. 68. No 8, 2016

S.K. Reddy, “Study of Daedalus Interstellar Spacecraft Reaction Chamber and Thrust Structure”, JBIS, 68, pp.33-43, 2015.

•Smith R, Sheikh and Swinney, R.W., ‘Navigation to the Alpha Centauri System’, JBIS, 69, No 11, pp.379-389, 2016

•Smith R. and Swinney R.W., ‘Granularity and Ambiguity in Navigating the Void’ JBIS, 69, No 11, pp.390-401, 2016.

•M. Stanic, “Project Icarus: Nuclear Fusion Propulsion Concept Comparison”, JBIS, 65, pp.232-243, 2012. REFERENCES

•Crawford, I.A., “Project Icarus: A Review of Local Interstellar Medium Properties of Relevance for Space Missions to the Nearest Stars”, Acta Astronautica, 68, 7/8, pp.691-699, April/May 2011.

•Crawford, I., ‘Project Icarus: Preliminary thoughts on the Selection of Probes and Instruments for an Icarus-Style Interstellar Mission’, JBIS,

•Freeland II, R.M. & Lamontagne M, “Firefly Icarus: An Unmanned Interstellar Probe using Z-Pinch Fusion Propulsion”, JBIS, 68, pp.68-80, 2015.

•R.M. Freeland, “Project Icarus: Fission-Fusion Hybrid Fuel for Interstellar Propulsion”, JBIS, 66, pp.290-296, 2013.

R.M. Freeland, “Firefly Icarus: An Unmanned Interstellar Probe Using Z-Pinch Fusion Propulsion”, JBIS, 68, pp.68-80, 2015.

Initiative for Interstellar•J.R. French, Studies “Project Icarus: www.I4IS.org A Review of the Daedalus Main Page 64 Propulsion System”, JBIS, 66, pp.248-251, 2013