4 ms·
Science fiction revisited: Ramjet propulsion
- PaulHoule 5y agoThe spin-off from the busssard ramjet that seems real is the magsail brake. The ramjet’s drag is very real but the thrust is elusive. (E.g. if you were going to use the CNO cycle to fuse 4 H -> He4 you have to stop the H, retain it for minutes so the decays in the CNO cycle have time to happen, then eject the He4 and lose only a minute fraction of the heavy elements.)