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Originally posted by Phage
reply to post by jkrog08
I have no doubt that the government is working on exotic propulsion systems, they don't really make a secret of it.
A preliminary system design, Fusion Ship II, is presented for a high performance 750 MWthrust manned space vehicle in the 500 metric ton class. Fusion Ship II is based on Inertial Electrostatic Fusion (IEC), giving round trip times to the outer planets of 1-2 years. An IEC is chosen because it simplifies structure results in a very high power to weight ratio. The fusion reactor uses D-3He fuel that generates 14.7-MeV protons as the primary reaction product. The propulsion system uses direct conversion of proton energy to electricity, avoiding the thermalization of the working fluid to maximize efficiency. Design calculations are described for the principle system components (crew compartment, crew shielding, avionics, fusion reactor modules, traveling wave direct energy converter, step-down transformer, rectifier, ion thruster, heat rejection radiators) along with vehicle trajectory calculations. Since unburned fusion fuels are recycled rather than exhausted with the propellant, problems of fuel weight and preservation of 3He are minimized.
There have been rumours aplenty about U-864's secretive cargo, including a now-debunked legend that Hitler's last will was on board.
And there has been speculation that Operation Caesar was one of his last, desperate acts to alter the course of the war, which had turned sharply in favour of the Allies.
That is why there is equal interest in examining U-864's entire cargo, which was being delivered to Germany's ally, Japan: the latest Messerschmitt jet engine parts, missile guidance systems, construction documents, as well as Japanese scientists and German Luftwaffe officers and 65 tonnes of highly toxic mercury.
So high tech componets, scientists and 65 tons of mercury on the way to Japan
And they found this thing leaking Mercury in 2003 and are still arguing what to do about it before it all leaks out 6 years later
The Uranium carried by U-234 was enough to make two atomic bombs, to blow up two American cities -- 1,235 pounds of 77 percent pure uranium oxide -- unusable by the destroyed Nazi hopes, it was destined for the Japanese atomic bomb program. The U-234 executive officer supervised the opening of the containers in Washington, DC, and reports he was told that one of the Americans was Oppenheimer.
It is generally believed the the uranium was taken over by the Manhattan project, but its ultimate use, if any, is lost in secrecy. It was most certainly sent to Oak Ridge, but there was probably not enough time for it to have been processed and used in the two WW2 weapons. It certainly would have been in followup weapons and probably was expended at Bikini Atoll or in Nevada.
The preconceptual design of a Space Orbiting Advanced Fusion Power Reactor (SOAR), which delivers up to 1000 MWe for at least 600 s from an orbited mass of about 500 tonnes, was accomplished. The power is produced by a magnetically confined D-3He plasma. Approximately 96% of the fusion energy is in charged particles, and a direct converter has been designed which converts much of this energy into electricity at high net efficiency (about 80%). An advanced shield design allows SOAR to deliver approximately 2 kilowatts of electricity for every kilogram of material orbited. The shield is designed to absorb all rejected heat during operation, and no active radiator is required. The SOAR reactor concept is designed to allow rapid startup and shutdown procedures. The lack of radioactivity on launch and the low radioactive inventory after operation make the SOAR concept attractive from maintenance, safety and environmental perspectives. The plasma physics approach extrapolates from the present plasma physics and fusion technology knowledge base using concepts which can be tested on existing or near-term devices. The symbiosis of burst mode requirements, D-3He tandem mirror fusion reactor characteristics, and the space environment leads to a very high performance design concept.
Originally posted by zorgonIt got dumped to Skunkworks
Originally posted by Matyas
But then again, I know your intent, to get people to think. Which is all very noble, and will work if you can avoid the stake.