NASA-backed fusion engine could cut Mars trip down to 30 days FDR for the stars

Science • April 2013 • Views: 1,275

NASA, and plenty of private individuals, want to put mankind on Mars. Now a team at the University of Washington being funded by the space agency is about to start building a fusion engine that could get humans there in just 30 days and make other forms of space travel obsolete.

Be interesting to see this technology proven, but I have serious doubts that it will ever get past the prototype stage either because it isn’t viable or Congress cuts funding for the project. Of the two, I think the latter is more probable.

Edited to provide link. Thanks SJ for pointing out that is was missing.

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7 comments

Destro Wed, Apr 10, 2013 8:22:02am

Unless they are talking about robot exploration of Mars traveling on these fast fusion engines, how will the inertia from that speed not kill the human passengers?

In Star Trek they had to invent a BS device called “inertial dampners” to explain why the high speed they were traveling at did not crush them into jelly in their chairs or fling them into the viewing screen when they stopped (Newton’s Law of motion) and why they did not need seat belts (and why chairs were not bolted to the floor).

danarchy Wed, Apr 10, 2013 8:30:48am

re: #1 Destro

Unless they are talking about robot exploration of Mars traveling on these fast fusion engines, how will the inertia from that speed not kill the human passengers?

It isn’t really the speed that gets you, it’s the acceleration. Right now almost all the acceleration is done in the first few minutes of travel with maybe some slingshots around other planets later to add some velocity. I assume with these they would be able to accelerate at a reasonable rate throughout the first 15 days attaining very high velocities, and then decelerate for the second half of the trip.

Destro Wed, Apr 10, 2013 8:53:14am

re: #2 danarchy

It isn’t really the speed that gets you, it’s the acceleration. Right now almost all the acceleration is done in the first few minutes of travel with maybe some slingshots around other planets later to add some velocity. I assume with these they would be able to accelerate at a reasonable rate throughout the first 15 days attaining very high velocities, and then decelerate for the second half of the trip.

Let’s hope there is no sudden stops or SPLAT against the hull.

danarchy Wed, Apr 10, 2013 9:19:31am

re: #3 Destro

Let’s hope there is no sudden stops or SPLAT against the hull.

Well, if you are stopping suddenly in space it is probably because you ran into an asteroid or something. In which case the difference between 17000mph and 170000mph is academic as far as the astronauts are concerned.

SpaceJesus Wed, Apr 10, 2013 9:39:37am

Link?

Stoatly Wed, Apr 10, 2013 10:34:25am

re: #5 SpaceJesus