APPLICATIONS OF NUCLEAR POWER SUPPLY FOR DIERCTED ENERGY DEVICES IN SPACE: Direct Nuclear Energy Conversion in Electricity Fission/Fusion Reactors

by Liviu Popa-Simil

Photon and beam based directed energy weapons require compact, solid-state power supply, in order to assure battle-space portability and flexibility. The development of the new space force will require the use in outer space on LTE or exo-planetary orbits of directed energy devices to be used as conflict deterrence and aggression denial systems as well for planetary protection against space threats, as meteorites. The use of these devices in outer space requires high efficiency on all systems from the power supplies to directed energy devices that may be lasers, accelerators or plasma jet devices, each having own features and application range. Novel families of meta-materials for direct nuclear energy conversion to electricity, presently in TRL=3 stage may drive to the construction of ultra high efficiency, solid-state, compact fission, transmutation or fusion batteries, as a prime condition of obtaining a compact portable tool for seamless operation on airborne, or space crafts equipped with a high efficiency directed energy device, in order to minimize the heat sink size, and increase maneuverability in tactical field. The only reasonable option is to place directed energy weapons in space, able to annihilate a targets after few seconds from its launch pad, and may have plenty of time to chose right moment for annihilation based on enhanced OODA protocol able to prevent any unintended consequence. In order to have such MW equipment in space very high conversion efficiency is required both for the power supply and for accelerators provided by compact, light devices. Novel super-capacitor like direct nuclear energy converter into electricity, made using engineered nano-hetero structures is susceptible of delivering MW power at efficiencies higher than 90% and so does the RFQ accelerators used to produce the charged particle beam and the complementary electron beam, remaining less then 20% of the total power to be eliminated using heat sinks, that will reduce the dimensions of space shuttle under 50m, being able to reach targets in 4000 miles range, interlacing the beans and using customized aiming as shown in Fig. 2 that consider magnetic and plasma fields distribution along the trajectories. The super-capacitor structure works together with the special nano-structure that guides neutrons using electronically controlled NEMS (Nano Electric Mechanical Systems) that may switch neutron trajectory in the nano-structure from going into absorbing blanket to going back into reactive core increasing its reactivity and power level with a rise /down time in microseconds. These structures together are forming a compact solid-state nuclear fission reactor that may deliver GW level energy at demand to the spacecraft accelerators or lasers systems. The power supply is modular, able to be replaced with a fresh one easily. The use of high power accelerators in outer space is not simple, raising various operational issues, and requires specific know how and capability of measuring in real time space parameters, generically called space weather. These developments allow military supremacy, capability of denial of military operations of an adverse party coercing it to peace talks and economic favors. The new space force will open the way for interesting capabilities, and a new arms race in space will take place with important changes in planet’s business as usual. Having sophisticated pieces of weaponry above the heads, will make political assassinates and retaliation much easier, making the luring for future stupid wars more powerful. The new capabilities, will be useful to protect the planet against more important space and planetary threats as climate challenge and asteroid impact, and might be deployed in about 200 years, if the planet survives until then, avoiding to destroy itself for minimal business gains, and religious ideology dominance.

157 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 5, 2020