RU2776324C1 - Ramjet relativistic engine - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: space technology.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to the power propulsion systems of spacecraft. The proposed ion-plasma reactive device contains a system for accumulation and replenishment of the working substance (hydrogen) from external sources, modules of ionization and initial acceleration of protons and a multichannel linear accelerator (MLA) for obtaining relativistic protons, made on the basis of superconducting structures. There is also a proton flow control system, of which one creates thrust during neutralization and release of protons from the MLA, and the other is used to generate energy on board the spacecraft. The MLA is mounted on a retractable telescopic structure, with the placement of accelerating MLA structures along the edge of its body. This structure, when folded (inoperable), is twisted to create artificial gravity.

EFFECT: improving the efficiency, including the achievable flight speed, of the spacecraft’s power propulsion system during interplanetary and interstellar expeditions.

1 cl, 1 dwg

Description

Interstellar flight at high speeds requires a combination of a sufficiently high exhaust velocity with the necessary thrust (the ratio of engine thrust to the mass of the aircraft), chemical rockets do not give an exhaust velocity of more than 5 km / s. The paper proposes a schematic diagram of construction and the concept of movement, using accelerated relativistic high-energy protons, to create efficient (in terms of working fluid consumption and energy consumption) jet engines, based on accelerating superconducting structures, in which there is no contact with the accelerated substance, due to than systems can act indefinitely and work with matter accelerated to relativistic speeds. The proposed scheme is based on the existing developments in the field of accelerator technology and microwave generation systems, taking into account the limitations imposed by conservation laws and the effects of special relativity.

Formalization of problems

I) Flight time problem - The problem can only be solved if the flight speed is close to the speed of light. And at the same time, there is a remarkable possibility of slowing down time inside the flying apparatus, due to relativistic effects. The limitation that the flight time imposes on us is that we cannot instantly acquire a given speed, in order to gain it it will take time and acceleration (a). For a long journey, a person will be comfortable with an acceleration equal to the acceleration of free fall on Earth a~g (9.8 m/s ² ).

II) Dust and gas flows - When the spacecraft moves at a near-light speed, the protons of the interstellar gas of the Galaxy (the density is one proton per cubic centimeter) will turn into a beam directed against the direction of the spacecraft flight, with an energy of 10-30 MeV and a flux density of 109 particles per square centimeter in second (at the surface of the Earth, the intensity of cosmic radiation is only 0.2 particles per square centimeter per second). This flow will need to be collected or deflected so that it does not interfere with both the crew and the overall movement of the spacecraft. With fast movement, the main flow as gas / dust will come from the front along the course of movement.

III) Energy-mass problem - If we consider a variant of a closed system, to a spacecraft, a cyclic problem arises: "The more the body needs to be accelerated, the larger the original body itself must be." To get around this problem, we can treat our system as open. In which not only internal reserves are used, but also external factors and matter, which is located in interstellar space. Otherwise, the proportions of the accelerated mass and what has to reach the star will be enormous. I propose to consider our spacecraft as a system in which the "working fluid" or material for fuel comes from the external environment, and we generate the impulse with the help of our power plant. The main question is how to get momentum and with what tools.

According to the principle of conservation of momentum, the momentum of a system remains constant in the absence of external forces. We will use the internal forces and energy accumulated in the substance to accelerate, giving momentum through the body, we will receive an impulse in the opposite direction.

On the other hand, according to special relativity, objects gain mass as they approach the speed of light. By accelerating the body to a speed close to the speed of light, we will give it an arbitrarily large momentum.

Relativistic Meshchersky equation

When deriving the Meshchersky equation, suitable for the case of velocities comparable to the speed of light, the expression for the relativistic momentum is used

As a result, the equation takes the form:

For the case of particles separated at a velocity collinear to the velocity of the rocket, this equation reduces to the following form:

- скорость частиц относительно КА.where

- particle velocity relative to the spacecraft.

To estimate the parameters of dimensions, we calculate the dependence of the mass of the spacecraft, provided that it moves with constant acceleration. From the law of conservation of momentum it follows:

Р _to =M _to ⋅U _to =M _to ⋅a⋅t=P _p =M _p ⋅u _p

where M _k is the mass of the spacecraft, and the acceleration obtained, u _p is the speed of protons, M _p is the total mass of the proton beam, on the other hand, we describe the momentum of the proton flux through its current and take into account that we are considering fast protons where u _p tends to the speed of light, then the momentum can be written as:

where I _p is the total current of protons, m _p0 is the rest mass of protons, q _p is the charge of the proton, Y is the gamma factor, taking into account the speed.

At the speed of a proton, u _p → c is significantly relativistic and

where E _p is the energy of protons in eV, E _p0 is the rest weight of the proton in eV = 938.272 MeV, we introduce a constant

We obtain a simple relation between the mass of the accelerated spacecraft and the currents of emitted protons

M _to ⋅a=I _p ⋅Y⋅S _const

We take these effects as the principle of construction and operation of the engine. Namely, the acceleration of charged particles to relativistic speeds in an electromagnetic field and subsequent emission.

Work principles.

A spacecraft (SC) can be represented as a large linear particle accelerator. Which are accelerated by an electric field and, reaching about the speed of light, are ejected in the form of a jet stream. In this case, the mass of particles, the process of acceleration increases thousands of times. And since a small volume of particles is rooted, the flow rate of the thrown-in body can be minimal.

KA is a variant of a long linear accelerator of charged elementary particles, which can be both ionized hydrogen atoms and electrons. This principle of the device is close to ion engines.

It is also possible to solve another of the problems of high-speed stellar flight, to use free interstellar hydrogen atoms. According to modern estimates, five cubic centimeters of interstellar space contains approximately one such atom. One possible solution would be to protect against these particles using electromagnetic fields. With simultaneous capture for replenishment, consumed for jet propulsion of the substance. That is, during the flight we will produce ionization and collection of charged particles using in the accelerator to create thrust.

With the further development of the technology of energy devices, it is possible to use the collected atoms, in a thermonuclear fusion reaction, to obtain energy for the general operation of the spacecraft. And as an option for the ultimate development of the system, completely close the energy supply and consumables to those received from external space.

Construction scheme

On FIG. 1. a schematic representation of the ERE/ID with an example of the installation of structural elements of a ramjet relativistic engine is shown:

1) Linear particle accelerator, consisting of a multichannel accelerator of superconducting cavities and proton beam stabilization systems.

2) A nuclear power plant that feeds all equipment and operates in a constant mode.

3) A system of residential modules, life support systems and food production. Placed in a radiation-absorbing shell and hydrogen storage

4) Proton pre-accelerators (Injectors and Proton synchrotrons for proton acceleration).

5) A system for collecting and ionizing stellar hydrogen, based on a thin charged mesh sail and strong magnetic systems that collect and separate the resulting ions for pre-accelerators.

Another layout option is that the linac complex can be installed on a retractable, long telescopic structure. With the placement of accelerating structures along the edge of the body, made of light and durable composite materials.

This will allow them to use their accelerating potential to the fullest extent and will enable them to promptly repair and service the accelerators.

It will also allow them to be used as a protection system against external electric fields (Faraday Cage) - since they are made of superconductors, they will provide the maximum skin effect. They will also act as protection against charged flying particles, since strong fields inside the accelerators will deflect them.

When folded, it will be quite compact and will provide an opportunity to provide artificial gravity by spinning the structure around the center of mass.

The patents closest in ideas and in the direction of using the principles are:

Analogues and many different types of ion-plasma or ion electric rocket engines (EP/EP) containing a container (accumulator) with a supply of working fluid, an ionization chamber of the working fluid, in particular, a gas discharge chamber, an accelerator movement of cations, a charge neutralizer for cations, including electrons or anions, a magnetic system for creating a magnetic field [Franklin R. Chang-Diaz, "Plasma Propulsion for Interplanetary Flight," Thin Solid Films, Vol. 506-507 (May26, 2006): 449-453 pp.; Electric rocket engines. -Edited by Yu.A. Ryzhov. M.: Mir, 1964; Goebel D.M., Katz I. Fundamentals of Electric Propulsion: Ion and Hall Thrusters. Wiley, 2008, 508 rubles]. Reactive motion can be implemented in a device with electromagnetic field radiation (EMF), with the release of massive matter, as well as the joint implementation of these two processes. When emitting an EMF, the reactive force produces mechanical pressure on the antenna, which was stated by A. Einstein in 1906, experimentally proven by P.N. Lebedev and confirmed theoretically on the basis of Maxwell's equations in the framework of classical electrodynamics. To produce noticeable values of acceleration with a force of 1 N, a large power of the irradiating EMF is required, which is approximately 150 MW. The main way to increase thrust is to use a massive consumable working fluid (RT). Some engines use pre-sorption of gases accumulated in a porous matrix, followed by slight heating and subsequent evaporation. Known studies and applications of electrothermal engines with heating of a non-volatile working fluid

SPACE TECHNOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGY №2/2013, p. 42-52]. In contrast to the known evaporation and chemical rocket engines with a maximum flame speed of up to 4000 m/s, ERE/ID provide an order of magnitude higher speed. When using compressed gases (N2, Ar, Xe, etc.), a specific thrust, or specific impulse (torch speed divided by 10 m/s2) of up to 4500 s and more is achieved in various configurations of such devices. Limitations on Xe - high cost and small volumes of gas production, high cost of ground tests in vacuum chambers at low temperatures, low reproducibility of thrust pulses, low reliability of turning on after a pause, insufficient achievable pulse duration, limited service life. In addition to inert gases, cesium, mercury, bismuth, zinc, tin, magnesium, gallium, iodine, teflon, ionic liquids, colloidal solutions, and ammonia are used as consumable RT in ion engines. Teflon (other names fluoroplastic, PTFE) as a solid PT is used in an ablative pulse electric discharge motor. For RT in the form of molten metal, a special design with a strong electric field has been created, and in the form of colloidal solutions, a design of an electro-spray source with a charge of small liquid drops has been created. ERE/ID with closed electron drift are the main working systems of operating spacecraft.

The invention - analogue of RU 2 527 267 C2 declares a plasma jet engine based on the Hall effect, containing the main annular ionization and acceleration channel, having an open output end, at least one cathode, an annular anode concentric to the main annular channel, a pipeline and a distributor for supplying able to ionize the gas into the channel and the magnetic circuit to create a magnetic field in the main annular channel.

The invention RU 2509 918 C2 relates to an electric rocket engine with a closed electron drift, containing a main annular ionization and accelerating channel formed around the axis of the accelerator, at least one hollow cathode, an annular anode concentric to the main annular channel, a tube with a collector for feeding the anode with an ionizable gas, and a magnetic circuit to create a magnetic field in the main annular channel. For space missions where high power and high specific impulse are required, closed-loop magnetic drift plasma EJE/IDs are thermally disadvantageous because the outer annular coil encapsulates a long wire, resulting in a high level of heat dissipation, and in relation to the mass of the coil, which is also large.

US Pat. Nos. 6,208,080 B1 and 5,359,258 also describe EJEs that each have four external MP coils. Another EJE with closed electron drift, known as ALT D55, contains three external coils. The invention RU 2 474 984 C1 relates to plasma technology and can be used in the development of plasma accelerators with a closed electron drift and an extended acceleration zone. The magnetic system is designed in such a way that the magnetic field induction vector in the cavity of the annular accelerating channel has a predominantly radial direction. A discharge voltage is applied between the anode and cathode, which are located at opposite ends of the discharge chamber. As a result, a predominantly longitudinal electric field is created in the annular accelerating channel. The electric discharge is ignited in a gas flow, for example, xenon, moving in the accelerating channel in the direction from the anode, which usually performs the function of a gas distributor, to the open end part of the discharge chamber. The cathode-compensator (electron emitter) is installed at the cutoff of the accelerating channel. The value of the magnetic field induction is chosen so that the ions are not magnetized, and the magnetic field has little effect on the movement of ions in the longitudinal direction in the cavity of the accelerating channel. In this case, the magnitude of the magnetic field induction should be sufficient to magnetize the electrons in the accelerating channel. Under these conditions, electrons acquire energy sufficient to ionize the working gas at typical discharge voltages from 200 V to 1000 V. In order to eliminate negative phenomena associated with a significant spatial divergence of ions in the accelerating channel, magnetic devices are used - ion beam concentrators.

Patent RU 2163309 (IPC: F03H 1/00, H05H 1/54, published on February 20, 2001) describes the design of an expanded magnetic pole piece in the shape of a truncated cone, which ensures the formation of a narrowly directed stream of accelerated ions in a given direction. US Pat. No. 5,581,155 describes a Hall effect thruster. This thruster also uses an electromagnetic field to accelerate positively charged particles. The exhaust velocity in this type of thruster is about 15 km/s at a thrust density of less than 5 N/m ² and a power of 1.3 kW. The group of ID-analogues uses metal grids for the extraction of ions from the plasma, followed by neutralization with electrons. US-A-5 241 244 describes a so-called lattice type ion thruster. In this device, the gaseous fuel is first ionized, then the resulting ions are pulled out of the plasma and accelerated by an electromagnetic field created between the gratings. By changing the polarity on the lattice system, instead of ions, electrons can be extracted from the discharge chamber. By appropriate selection of the extraction time of ions and electrons and/or the value of the potential contact voltages for both extraction phases, it is possible to establish an electron flux equivalent to the ion flux in terms of the number of charges.

Promising thrusters based on plasma magnetohydrodynamics (Magneto Plasma Dynamic Thruster (MPD), Variable Specific Impulse Magneto Plasma Rocket (VASIMR), Pulsed Inductive Thruster (PIT), with ionization by inductively coupled plasma (ICP), with inhomogeneous MF) are also being developed.

US Pat. No. B6,334,302 describes a variable specific impulse magnetoplasma rocket engine (VASIMR). This thruster uses a three-stage process of supplying, heating and controlled outflow of plasma from a magnetic ambipolar trap. The plasma source is a helicon-wave generator, and the plasma heater is a cyclotron generator. The nozzle is aligned with a radially divergent MF, ionized particles move in unwinding spirals along diverging magnetic field lines, where the azimuthal drift energy is converted into longitudinal energy. This type of engine has an exhaust velocity of the order of 10-30 km/s and a thrust of 50-1000 mN. In conventional IDs, only a small number of ions reach the system of extraction gratings, while the predominant part of the formed ions recombine on the walls of the ionization chamber. Only those ions that reach the extraction grid system are available to generate thrust. Recombination on the walls of the ionization chamber is the most significant loss factor. To ensure the normal operation of ion rocket engines in space conditions, it is necessary to extract cations and electrons in equal amounts so that the rocket is not negatively charged and does not slow down the ions during the operation of the ion engine. Compensation (neutralization) of the space charge of a beam of positive ions in the general case of ion-beam technologies is carried out by introducing free electrons and/or electronegative molecules or atoms into the ion flow, which have a high electron affinity and large cross sections for the formation of negative ions upon collision with free electrons, respectively. The flows of free electrons and electronegative molecules or atoms are maintained such that the positive charge density of the beam does not exceed the negative charge density of the electrons and negative ions present in it. The magnetic field (MF) has a strong effect on the movement of the electrons of the neutralizer, and much weaker - on the movement of ions. Therefore, MF is required mainly to control the processes of electron neutralization.

For example, according to the method of neutralizing the space charge of ion beams at the output of a plasma engine with a closed electron drift (Patent RU No. 2312471 dated 2003.12.24), at least one cathode-compensator is installed, as well as an anode block containing a magnetic system and a discharge chamber with an accelerating channel with zones of ionization and acceleration, which expands in the outer and inner radial directions.

For the ionization of gaseous fuels, US-A-5 241 244 proposes to simultaneously use a conditioning and holding magnetic field, as well as an alternating electromagnetic field at the frequency of electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) in a magnetic field. A similar thruster is also described in FR-A-2 799 576, which uses magnetic induction to ionize the gas. US Pat. No. B6,293,090 describes a radio frequency (RF) plasma thruster in which, instead of using an ECR field, the plasma is generated by a down hybrid wave.

US Pat. No. 6,205,769 claims electrothermal microwave thrusters. These thrusters are based on the heating of gaseous fuel by a microwave field. The heated gas is ejected through a nozzle, creating thrust. This type of thruster has an exhaust velocity of about 9-12 km/s and a thrust of 200 to 2000 N.

The invention RU 2543103 C2 relates to high-frequency ion engines (HF ID) with induction excitation of a discharge in a gas-discharge chamber.

In US Pat. No. 3,571,734 gas is fed into a cylindrical resonator which is subjected to axial and radial magnetic fields. To ionize the gas, an electromagnetic field is applied at the ECR frequency. In Japanese engines, xenon ionization occurs in a microwave discharge (Japanese patent JP 2856740 B2 of 06/09/1988). Along with these devices, IDs with a direct current discharge are being developed, manufactured and operated (RF patent No. 2191291). ID contains a gas discharge chamber (GDC), having the shape of a cylinder with a conical rear wall. Anodes are attached to the walls of the GDC through insulators. The magnetic field is created with the help of electromagnets located outside the GDC. The magnetic field configuration is set by three pole pieces. Inside the cathode pole piece is a hollow cathode. The emitter is made of lanthanum hexaboride. The working fluid (xenon) is supplied to the GDC through a collector located in the group of plasma, accelerating and decelerating electrodes. The retarding electrode is made in the form of a ring covering the entire ion beam. Outside there is a cathode-neutralizer. According to analogue RU 2585340 C1, the gas discharge unit is the main part of the RF ID, which provides plasma generation in a gaseous working environment, as well as the extraction and further acceleration of the ion flow. The gas-discharge unit, which is part of the RF ID, is connected to the systems for supplying the working fluid, power supply, and control. The gas-discharge unit includes a gas-discharge chamber, a device for inputting energy into the discharge volume of the chamber, and electrodes of the ion-optical system located at the exit section of the gas-discharge chamber. A neutralizer (compensator) for the space charge of the generated ion flow is installed at the outlet of the gas-discharge unit.

An ion source with high-frequency discharge excitation in a gas-discharge chamber is described in GB 1214178 A (published 02.12.1970). The gas discharge assembly contains a conical gas discharge chamber made of quartz glass. The inlet branch pipe of the chamber is connected to the working gas supply system. On the outer side of the gas-discharge chamber, a copper inductor is installed, made in the form of a spiral enclosing the chamber. The current leads of the spiral are connected to a high-frequency power supply (HF generator). With the help of an inductor, energy is introduced into the discharge volume of the chamber through the walls of the chamber, which are transparent for the electromagnetic field, and an inductive high-frequency discharge is excited in the working gas medium.

US Pat. No. 8,864,935 B2 (published 10/21/2014) describes a gas-discharge ion source assembly with a gas-discharge chamber, the walls of which are made of a material permeable to an electromagnetic field, in particular, quartz glass. In the patent RU 2 445 510 C2 in ERE with a magnetic field are named formally without describing sufficient design features of the device: surface contact ionizer; an ionizer capable of ablation and ionization of solid RT; a source capable of focusing radiation on the surface of a solid RT; a source capable of focusing the electron beam on the surface of a solid RT; a source of electromagnetic field with a wavelength of less than 5 mm, acting on the RT.

US Pat. No. 4,641,060 and US Pat. No. 5,442,185 discuss plasma ECR generators in another field that are used for vacuum pumping or ion implantation. Another example of such a plasma generator is described in US A3160566. The invention 2 525 442 C2 relates to a plasma generator and also to a method for controlling a plasma generator by controlling the plasma formed in the plasma generator using a high-frequency alternating electric or electromagnetic field. When using a plasma generator in a high-frequency ion thruster, the working gas (working fluid) supplied to the ionization chamber, also called ion fuel, is ionized by an alternating electromagnetic field and then accelerated in the electrostatic field of an extraction grid system provided on the open side of the ionization chamber to create thrust. . Ionization takes place in an ionization chamber surrounded by a coil. A high frequency alternating current flows in the coil. In the group of analogs of ERE with electronic neutralization, magnetic field sources and various methods of ionization of various types of RW, there are also different methods and devices for particle acceleration.

In US-A-3 425 902, a magnetic trap with magnetic mirrors has a maximum field strength at both ends of the chamber in which the gases are ionized. European Patent Application EP-03290712 describes a similar thruster using ponderomotive magnetic thrust.

The invention RU 2 411 393 C2 relates to the field of spacecraft and can be used to accelerate devices moving in space in high vacuum. Known ion engine Deep Space, using as a working substance Xe ions accelerated by a potential of 400 V. The disadvantage of this engine is the use of low accelerating potential, which significantly limits the achievable thrust at low flow rates of the ejected mass. In the DS4G ion thruster of the European Space Agency, Xe ions are accelerated by a potential of 30 kV through four grid electrodes placed in series with a thousand-millimeter matched holes in each, with a total current of approximately 100 mA. Such a device is hardly suitable for use in conditions of using large potential differences, since it is fraught with the danger of frequent breakdowns or rapid destruction of accelerating gratings (due to their irradiation with fast scattered ions). The need for a low consumption of the extracted mass, maximum wear resistance of the ion source in long-term flights, while providing high thrust values, requires a significant increase in the mass outflow rate, in this case, a significant increase in the potential difference accelerating the ions. If we take the Xe ion current of about 200 mA as the mass consumption rate, which corresponds (with a mass utilization efficiency of 50%) to a mass consumption of 16.5 kg per year, at an ion accelerating potential of 100 kV, the traction force will be 0.1 N and the specific impulse 3.8⋅105 sec. The currents indicated above cannot be obtained as a result of the selection of ions from the plasma of the ion source through a paraxial round hole (as is usually done) due to the limitation imposed by the space charge of the ions. An ion source with an annular discharge chamber and with acceleration of ions to energies of several keV in a narrow gap between the electrodes with simultaneous compensation of the space charge of ions by electrons at the output of the source is known and has found technical application (patent US 4122347).

In the group of analogs of ERE with electronic neutralization, magnetic field sources, with different methods of ionization of different types of RT, different methods and devices for accelerating particles, devices with additional electrodes are presented. A plasma engine with a closed electron drift is known, containing a discharge chamber with outer and inner annular walls forming an accelerating channel, a magnetic system including at least one source of magnetomotive force, a magnetic circuit, external and internal magnetic poles with a central hole, forming a working interpole gap with an inner region extending inside the accelerating channel and an outer region extending beyond the exit of the accelerating channel, an anode-gas distributor of the working gas located in the bottom part of the cavity of the discharge chamber, and at least one cathode-compensator located in the central cavity of the magnetic system and containing an activating electrode with a central hole (RF patent No. 2030134, H05H 1/54, F03H 1/00). In the EJE according to the invention RU 2 426 007 C1, to improve the smoothness of the start mode by eliminating one of the main causes of oscillations in the discharge circuit, the activating electrode of the compensator cathode is made of a disk-shaped form of a magnetically conductive material and is placed coaxially from the outside on the internal magnetic pole.

Patent RU 2682962 C1 uses an existing accumulator with a working fluid in it, a reactor chamber connected to the specified accumulator, equipped with electrodes for structure transformation, ionization, acceleration and neutralization of the particles of the specified working fluid by means of an electromagnetic field, characterized in that in the area mainly between Said drive and said reactor chamber have a built-in intermediate active assembly containing an acoustic wave source connected to an activating generator.

Each known analogue is an ion-plasma electric propulsion device as part of a spacecraft, having a drive with a working fluid in it, a reactor chamber connected to the specified drive, equipped with electrodes for structure transformation, ionization, acceleration and neutralization of particles of the specified working fluid by means of an electromagnetic field (EMP). In the group of ERD/ID analogs, controlled ion-plasma, electric-discharge, laser, and other similar reactions based on the use of EMF are used. According to the method of transferring the working fluid to the gas-phase ionized state, ERE/ID are divided into 3 groups according to the type of EMF generation: based on a direct current discharge, an RF discharge, or a microwave discharge. EMF has an acceptable efficiency at the stage of ionization, acceleration and neutralization of particles for a number of substances, but not at the stage of structure transformation, and only for a limited range of selected substances. More efficient technologies that are used to accelerate protons to relativistic speeds have not been implemented.

In the group of analogs can be attributed patent 2008134386/11, US 11/365,875 using the solar wind as a source of thrust. The electric sail contains a plurality of elongated electrically conductive components (wires) deployed from the spacecraft body in radial directions. The electrons flow from the wires into the housing, so that the wires acquire a positive potential with respect to the surrounding plasma. This ensures the interaction of the sail with the protons of the solar wind and the creation of the necessary thrust.

All designs given in the above patents have strong structural differences from the proposed model, where the main line is the system of accelerating charged particles in superconducting cavities with correction by quadrupole magnets along the entire length of the spacecraft, and obtaining a kinetic pulse on each accelerating module and with a relativistic increase in particle mass , taking into account the high quality factor of superconducting resonators, we obtain a system with a high efficiency of converting electrical energy into kinetic energy, the systems described above use other methods of spacecraft acceleration with less efficiency, which do not allow them to reach spacecraft speeds close to the speed of light.

Main tasks to be solved

1) The spacecraft has a simple construct, in the form of a large linear accelerator of charged particles. Which are accelerated by an electric field and, reaching about the speed of light, are ejected in the form of a jet stream. In this case, the mass of particles in the process of acceleration increases thousands of times. And since a small volume of particles is rooted, the flow rate of the thrown-in body can be minimal.

A linear accelerator of charged elementary particles for its work can use a substance collected from external space, which can be ionized hydrogen atoms and electrons, which protects the internal structures of the spacecraft and has the ability to replenish consumable material. That solves one of the problems of high-speed stellar flight and uses free interstellar hydrogen atoms. According to modern estimates, five cubic centimeters of interstellar space contains approximately one such atom. One of the possible solutions to collect and protect against these particles will be the use of electromagnetic fields created using superconducting selenoid. That is, during the flight we will produce ionization and collection of charged particles using in the accelerator to create thrust for jet propulsion.

With the further development of the technology of power devices, it is possible to use the collected atoms in the thermonuclear fusion reaction to obtain energy for the general operation of the spacecraft. And as an option for the ultimate development of the system, completely close the energy supply and consumables to those received from external space.

The final advantages of the proposed design:

The given set and combinations of features provide the following technical results: it makes it possible to create a ramjet relativistic jet engine, which has an easy-to-manufacture design, is more efficient and reliable when used as part of a spacecraft. According to the invention, a cumulative positive effect can be achieved in increasing the resource, increasing the reliability, stability and efficiency of traction characteristics, and the efficiency of using the working substance. The use of the layout and construction according to the proposed invention makes it possible to create an apparatus for movement in deep space protected from external influences (radiation and interstellar gas) and having speed parameters that allow solving the problem of interstellar flights.

Possible disadvantages of the described system: The proposed system has large overall dimensions and uses a large number of complex and rare materials for construction; for efficient operation, it must be removed from highly intense heat sources.

Claims (1)

Ion-plasma power propulsion jet device as part of a spacecraft (SC), containing a system for accumulating and replenishing matter from external sources of interstellar hydrogen, a storage system and modules for ionization and preliminary acceleration of protons, a system in the form of a multichannel linear proton accelerator for jet propulsion of spacecraft based on accelerating superconducting structures, with an active cooling system and an ion flow control system, a system for neutralizing protons and launching them into outer space or to modules for generating energy, moreover, the linear accelerator system is installed on a retractable telescopic structure, with accelerating structures placed along the edge of its body, made of light and durable composite materials, which, when folded, when the accelerator is not working, can be twisted around the center of mass to create artificial gravity.

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