Cancelled project of a space probe to reach 10,000 AU from the Sun
AIMStar was a proposed antimatter-catalyzed nuclear pulse propulsion craft that uses clouds of antiprotons to initiate fission and fusion within fuel pellets. A magnetic nozzle derives motive force from the resulting explosions. The design was studied during the 1990s by Penn State University. The craft was designed to reach a distance on the order of 10,000 AU from the Sun, with a travel time of 50 years, and a coasting velocity of approximately 960 km/s after the boost phase (roughly 1/300th of the speed of light). The probe would be able to study the interstellar medium as well as reach Alpha Centauri.[1] The project would require more antimatter than we are capable of producing. In addition, some technical hurdles need to be surpassed before it would be feasible.[2]
^
Lewis, Raymond A; Meyer, Kirby; Smith, Gerald A; Howe, Steven D. "AIMStar: Antimatter Initiated Microfusion For Pre-cursor Interstellar Missions" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 16, 2014.
^Antimatter Production for Near-term Propulsion Applications "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-03-06. Retrieved 2013-05-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
AIMStar was a proposed antimatter-catalyzed nuclear pulse propulsion craft that uses clouds of antiprotons to initiate fission and fusion within fuel...
abortive design effort was conducted at Penn State University under the name AIMStar. The project would require more antimatter than we are capable of producing...
"Hustlaz Ambition: BMF's Big Meech". The Source (Interview). Interviewed by Aimstar. Archived from the original on May 22, 2009. FBI file on the Black Mafia...
system could achieve Isp~105s. A different approach was envisioned for AIMStar in which small fusion fuel droplets would be injected into a cloud of antiprotons...
launching microgram interstellar probes at up to 1/3 light speed. AIMStar (1990s-2000s) AIMStar was a proposed antimatter catalyzed nuclear pulse propulsion...
single pulse is expected to take only a fraction of a second to complete. AIMStar Antimatter-catalyzed nuclear pulse propulsion Antimatter rocket Spacecraft...
investigated at Pennsylvania State University in connection with the proposed AIMStar project.[citation needed] The diagnostics of a fusion scientific reactor...
Global Information