Scientists developing pulsed nuclear fusion system for distant missions: “We are trying to develop a small, lightweight pulsed nuclear fusion system for deep space missions...” Cassibry and his team will attempt to drive a hollowed-out puck in on itself, fusing lithium and hydrogen atoms and turning a little of their mass into pure energy.
The “pucks” are approximately two inches wide and an inch thick, smaller than a regulation three-inch puck. They are made of lithium deuteride (LH 2), the lightest metal combined with the middle-weight form of the lightest element...
If the studies work out, they could lead to a system that fuses lithium-deuterium pellets and uses an electromagnetic field as the nozzle for that the exhaust pushes against and also captures part of the energy to recharge the system. That is the next area to tackle if the Z-pinch approach proves out.
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