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From: annala%neuro.usc.edu@usc.edu (A J Annala)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Antimatter Aircraft Propulsion (Re: Nuclear Aircraft)
Message-ID: <11426@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Date: 14 Nov 89 23:26:49 GMT
References: <11238@cbnews.ATT.COM>
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From: annala%neuro.usc.edu@usc.edu (A J Annala)

In article 11238_wb9omc@ea.ecn.purdue.edu (Duane P Mantick) writes:
>On the question of nuclear powered aircraft, there was a B-36 that
>was modified to carry a nuclear reactor.  I do not know too many details
>but I can tell you that the Squadron/Signal book about the B36 does give
>some info. on the subject.  If I think about it, I will bring it in sometime
>and submit the info. to the moderator for potential posting.
Nuclear powered aircraft are passe. The Air Force is now embarking on
the design and implementation of antimatter devices and engine systems.
The current DoD FY-1990 SBIR Program Solicitation contains these items:

AF90-132 Air Beathing Propulsion Using Antimatter

  OBJECTIVE:  To determine if antimatter could be used as the power
    source for manned or unmanned air breathing vehicles such as
    missiles, single stage space to orbit vehicles, etc.

  DESCRIPTION:  Since the existence of anitimatter has been determined,
    and the production and containment of antimatter has no near term
    solution, its application to air breathing propulsion should be
    determined in advance of a possible breakthrough.  This study
    would be concerned with the development of a vehicle concept that
    would make use of this power source.  The main concerns for this
    study would be the estimation of thrust levels available and
    whether they would be usable in an atmospheric vehicle (based on
    extrapolated data from current concepts), what safety and 
    operational problems would such a vehicle cause?  Phase I activity
    will include a literature search, development of concept vehicle(s),
    as well as, a parametric study that would provide size, wieght, and
    performance estimates of the vehicle concept(s).  This would provide
    a basis for Phase II activities, which would include the refinement
    of the concept vehicle(s) and their expected performance.

AF90-150 Technology for Storage, Handling, or Use of Antimatter

  OBJECTIVE:  Develop technology in the area of 1) analysis of matter by
    matter-antimatter annihilation radiation; 2) prediction of its
    products and effects; or 3) safe long-term, high density storage
    systems for antimatter.

  DESCRIPTION:  Antimatter is composed of quantum mechanical particles
    which have reverse properties of their normal matter counterparts.
    When antimatter and matter are allowed to interact, the entire mass
    of both is converted into energetic radiation, mostly charged pions
    and gamma rays in the near field.  This property of antimatter has
    led to concepts of stored antimatter as an analytic radiation source
    in the near term, and as an energy source for rocket propellant in
    the far term.  Proposals are sought to design and demonstrate an
    element of the technology needed to use antimatter ... Phase I of
    this effort shall consist of a design for the proposed technology
    element.  In Phase II, the selected item shall be built and
    demontrated with a normal matter analog.

I would, of course, be interested in collaborating with an engineering
talent on possible execution of one of these two requests for proposals.