While that is somewhat in jest, there are potentials for fusion to first make it as a power source for spacecraft. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusion_rocket#

While that is somewhat in jest, there are potentials for fusion to first make it as a power source for spacecraft. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusion_rocket#Electricity_generation_vs._direct_thrust https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusion_rocket#Electricity_gene... This has the advantage of not needing a power recovery system and the actual power can be external (like solar) and the fusion engine would act more like a souped-up ion engine (with correspondingly ultra-low thrust).