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/sci/ - Science & Math

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4699783 No.4699783 [Reply] [Original]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interplanetary_spaceflight#Fusion_rockets

>However, either fission or fusion technologies can in principle achieve velocities far higher than needed for Solar System exploration

So, in theory, how fast/far could a fusion rocket-propelled spaceship take us within the boundaries of the solar system (for the sake of beng specific, from Earth to the Kuiper belt)?

Just curious, first time posting on /sci/.

>> No.4699785
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4699785

EVERYWHERE!

>> No.4699797

All over the system, with travel times to the kuiper belt measured in weeks.

But who cares, the entire place is a dump full of lifeless rocks.

>> No.4699801
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4699801

>>4699797

>But who cares, the entire place is a dump full of lifeless rocks.

With nuclear propulsion, colonisation of those lifeless rocks becomes possible. They would not be lifeless after that.

>> No.4699802

>>4699785
This. Though it depends on the actual type of engine used and the size of the ship, but several types could take you everywhere, land under power and take off, with some types needing to stock up on reaction mass(water), while others wouldn't need even that.

>> No.4699805

>>4699802

Wow, a bunch of shitty habitats, all alike. Like traveling from one shopping mall to another, trying to console yourself to the fact that you will never see an alien ecosystem.

>> No.4699808
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4699808

technically : everywhere as "range" is meaningless in space.
practically : how long do you want the travel to take ?

A very economic transfer orbit Earth-Jupiter would take 7 years.
Now if you accelerate continuously with a very efficient fusion thruster AND 50% of your ship mass is propellant.

1 weeks, and you even have the comfort of a Earth-like gravity

BUT that's only for a ONE WAY travel. Return trip will not just double the requirement it will probably square it or cube it.
You can still hope to get propellant at your destination though.

>> No.4699816

At 10% the speed of light (Theoretically the 'high end' for a fusion rocket, iirc) it'll take about 3.5 days to reach Pluto.

For more realistic rocket designs (e.g. something we could build in the foreseeable future) a trip to Pluto would take about 1-2 years and Earth - Mars would take about a month.

>> No.4699824

>>4699808
You could send more propellant with a classical orbit.

But you'd have to plan a travel 7 years ahead or plan to stay on Jupiter (or Titan actually) for 7 years.

>> No.4699827

>>4699824
sorry Titan is a Saturn moon.