3 ms·
> Adam Hecht, professor of nuclear engineering at the University of New Mexico said, “RocketStar has not just incrementally improved a propulsion system, but t
by jessriedel 3y ago
> Adam Hecht, professor of nuclear engineering at the University of New Mexico said, “RocketStar has not just incrementally improved a propulsion system, but taken a leap forward by applying a novel concept, creating a fusion-fission reaction in the exhaust.
What fission is taking place? Is this just referring to the fission of the excited isomer Carbon-12 (into three alpha particles)? Isn't that like, extremely short-lived? Aren't all fusion reactions "fission-fusion" in this trivial sense?
- Tuna-Fish 3y agoThere are fusion reactions that result in larger atoms. B-P fusion results in 3 alphas, so it's fusion-fission.
- jessriedel 3y ago> There are fusion reactions that result in larger atoms Do you mean “smaller”? I thought the defining characteristic was that the atomic number was increasing. > B-P fusion results in 3 alphas, so it's fusion-fission. You’re saying the “fission” part comes because one of the inputs, Boron-11, is larger than the outputs, the alphas?
- jessriedel 3y ago(My brother is a plasma physics postdoc at LLNL and he says he's never heard of anyone refer to p-B as a "fusion-fission" reaction. So it still seems weird to me.)