Search This Blog

Sunday, July 12, 2015

Boeing patents laser-powered fusion-fission jet engine for airplanes, spacecraft


Assume the brace position. Boeing has received a patent for, I kid you not, a laser-powered fusion-fission jet propulsion system. Boeing envisions that this system could replace both rocket and turbofan engines, powering everything from spacecraft to missiles to airplanes.

The patent, US 9,068,562, combines inertial confinement fusion, fission, and a turbine that generates electricity. It sounds completely crazy—and it is completely unrealistic given our current mastery of fusion, or lack thereof—but, in the future perhaps, this could be a rather ingenious solution.

To begin with, imagine the silhouette of a big turbofan engine, like you'd see on a commercial jetliner.

Read more

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Fair Use Notice

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner.

The material is being made available in an effort to advance understanding arms trade activities, for non-profit research and educational purposes only.

I believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law.

If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

This is a completely non-commercial site for private personal use. No fee is charged, and no money is made off of the operation of this site.