Revolutionary Rocket Engines: From Fusion to Liquid Fuel, Space Travel Takes a Leap
Construction has begun on the world's largest nuclear fusion rocket engine by Pulsar Fusion in the UK, with the aim of revolutionizing space travel by halving travel times and reducing fuel usage. The engine, scheduled to start firing in 2027, will use ultra-hot plasma locked inside an electromagnetic field. Machine learning algorithms will be employed to better predict and control the behavior of the plasma. If successful, temperatures hotter than the Sun will be reached, potentially enabling rocket speeds of 500,000 miles per hour. Nuclear fusion also holds promise for providing clean energy on Earth.