[Jolly Roger]

I was signature #16!

[Jolly Roger]

One interesting thing about a Focus-Fusion-powered spaceship is that it might have a green exhaust on takeoff from the Earth’s surface. The exhaust may contain some unburned fuel (decaborane or pentaborane), which burns in contact with air with a green flame. Pentaborane, which was once used as a rocket fuel, was nicknamed “Green Dragon” for that reason.

If we were to build a squadron of space fighters (ala Buck Rogers) with Focus Fusion engines, the “Green Dragons” would be a natural name for it.

One downside of borane fuel is that it is a potent neurotoxin. It is one of the environmental issues that need to be addressed.

(Borane info courtesy http://www.wikipedia.com )

[Jolly Roger]

Can the unburned fuel be separated from the helium “ash” and recycled back into the reactor? This would be necessary in applications where fuel availability could be a problem, such as in deep space.

I understand that the helium MUST be removed before recycling to avoid radioactive side reaction products.

[Jolly Roger]

There is an article on this Focus Fusion site:

https://focusfusion.org/index.php/site/article/university_of_illinois_space_propulsion/

It mentions Earth-to-Orbit applications. No specifics were given.

Often, however, high specific impulse usually implies low thrust. There may be a way to engineer around that.

[Jolly Roger]

I posted an addendum to my post at StarTrekOne:

>Sorry, I made a typo in the link to the FOCUS FUSION site. It is:

https://focusfusion.org

Fusion is the next logical step toward Matter-Antimatter. Fusion is possible in 5 years, not 35 years, or 50.

Jolly Roger ;-)X
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