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From: MCGRATH%OZ.AI.MIT.EDU@XX.LCS.MIT.EDU ("Jim McGrath")
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Fusion Reactors in Space
Message-ID: <12189728026.61.MCGRATH@OZ.AI.MIT.EDU>
Date: Mon, 10-Mar-86 21:55:55 EST
Article-I.D.: OZ.12189728026.61.MCGRATH
Posted: Mon Mar 10 21:55:55 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 12-Mar-86 04:48:07 EST
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: mcgrath%mit-oz@mit-mc.arpa
Organization: The ARPA Internet
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    Barring a major breakthrough, I don't see fusion being used as a
    power source for a rocket.  But how about as a power plant for an
    orbiting industrial lab?  You would have free vacuum, reduced
    shielding and structure requirements... 

Actually, you could still use fusion for a rocket even if the reactor
was gigantic.  In this case you would have to broadcast the power via
microwaves (or another portion of the EM spectrum) from a large
orbiting reactor to a receiver on the rocket.  Note that this works
best when both are in vacuum.  For launches from earth you could
employ the energy from the fusion reactor more directly (e.g. have it
power lasers for a laser launching system).  For launching from the
moon and such, use it to power a mass driver.


Jim

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