/sci/ - Science & Math

Helicity Space, a space fusion propulsion startup, nabbed a $5M seed round to develop its novel engine

How it works:
-- Plasma jets are shot along a track in its engine.
--The jets merge and compress, heating up to fusion condition of 100 million degrees Fahrenheit.
-- The fusion reaction fuses deuterium (hydrogen) atoms, resulting in energy for direct thrust

Lots of work ahead: Helicity is shooting for a protoflight in 2032 and self-sustaining engines in 2040. However, when operational, it could propel a spacecraft to Mars in two months, Jupiter in one year, and interstellar space in just ten years

https://payloadspace.com/helicity-raises-5m-for-in-space-fusion-propulsion/