Development of SunVoyager Interstellar Precursor Probe Driven by Inertial Confinement Fusion Propulsion

Abstract

In this paper, we present updated calculations for the SunVoyager probe, a spacecraft conceptual design for a mission to the outer solar heliosphere to a distance of 500–1000 AU, in a trip time of [Formula: see text] traveling at speeds of [Formula: see text]. The spacecraft is innovative, in that it uses an inertial confinement fusion propulsion engine driving a 5.76-mg pellet filled with [Formula: see text] fuel detonated at 10-Hz pulse frequency, augmented with [Formula: see text] expellant propellant for enhanced mass flow rate. The spacecraft is designed to carry a 100-ton payload to include large optical telescopes for long-range imaging of nearby exoplanets. This paper is a follow-up to the earlier one that scoped out the design space, and here we give details on a more refined design configuration, in addition to calculations relating to the pellet ignition design and laser driver with 43.5 MJ delivered to the target. We also describe the power cycle with a jet efficiency of 37.8%, for a jet power of 2.67 GW and a specific power of [Formula: see text].