Pulsar Fusion

Private company working on nuclear fusion propulsion technology and advanced space propulsion systems.

Created: 2020-08-13

Updated: 2024-02-29

Company - Pulsar Fusion

Founded
Country
2014
UK
Funding
?
Website
https://www.pulsarfusion.com/
Social
Pulsar Fusion

Product/Service - Direct Fusion Drive (DFD)

Classification
Space Utilities
Category
Resources - Energy
Nuclear Fusion Power
Fields
Nuclear Power
Nuclear Propulsion
Status
Development
First launch
2027

Pursuing D-He3 fusion for its off-grid possibilities such as defence, transport and space exploration.

Britain is poised to launch a nuclear fusion reactor into space by 2027.

The Direct Fusion Drive (DFD) is a compact nuclear fusion engine which could provide both thrust and electrical power for spaceships. This technology opens unprecedented possibilities to explore the solar system in a limited amount of time and with a very high payload to propellant masses ratio.

This engine is attractive for long missions where a lower thrust version of the engine, having a propellant mass ratio near unity, provides efficiencies that other engines cannot achieve.

Since DFD provides power as well as propulsion in one integrated device, it would also provide as much as 2 MW of power to the payloads upon arrival. Designers think that this technology can radically expand the science capability of planetary missions.

The Direct Fusion Drive is a revolutionary steady state fusion propulsion concept, based on a compact fusion reactor. It will provide power of the order of units of MW, providing both thrust of the order of 10−101N with specific impulses between 103− 105s and auxiliary power to the space system

  1. Specific Impulse (s) **103 – 105 **
  2. Thrust (N) 10 – 101
  3. Propellant D – 3He
  4. Exhaust Speeds (km/s) 110 – 350
  5. Dimensions (m) 9.8 x 3.5 x 3.5

Pulsar Fusion is presently committed to the construction of its initial prototype static DFD engine. After completing a State of the Art (SoA) assessment on DFD heating technology in 2021, further analysis was carried out by a panel of experts to finally make an informed decision on an initial design point for the system.

Pulsar has now proceeded to phase 3, the manufacture of the initial test unit. Static tests are to begin in 2023 followed by an In Orbit Demonstration (IOD) of the technology in 2027.

Similar Organizations

X-Charge

Resources - Energy, Power Beaming, Space Solar Power, In-Orbit Data Storage, In-Orbit Computing

3K SpaceTech

Dormant, Early stage

Mini Modular Reactor (MMR)

Resources - Energy, Nuclear Fission Power

AGPower92

Early stage, Dormant

Orbital Solar

Space Solar Power, Power Beaming, Resources - Energy

Alvior

Dormant, Early stage

Resources - Energy, Nuclear Fission Power

Antares

Development

Power Beaming, Resources - Energy

Aphelia Space

Development

Power Beaming, Resources - Energy

Aquila Earth

Development

LunaGrid

Resources - Energy, Lunar Power Service

Astrobotic

Development

Quark

Space Tug, In-Space Logistics, Resources - Energy, On-Orbit Servicing, Propellant Refuel Station, Propellant Refilling

Atomos

Development

Orbitron

Resources - Energy, Nuclear Fusion Power

Avalanche Energy

Development

HEBAM

ISRU (In Situ Resource Utilization), Resources - Energy, Hardware

Azimut Space

Concept

Resources - Energy

Blue Origin

Concept

Resources - Energy, Nuclear Fission Power

BWX Technologies

Early stage

LEUNR

Resources - Energy, Nuclear Fission Power

Canadian Space Mining Corporation

Early stage

50KW Vertical Solar Array Technology

Resources - Energy, Lunar Power Service

Ceres Robotics

Development

Resources - Energy, Hardware

Clara Venture Labs

Development

Resources - Energy, Lunar Electric Grid

Constanellis Aerospace

Development

Resources - Energy, Power Beaming

Draper Laboratory

Development

Power Beaming, Resources - Energy, Space Solar Power

Emrod

Development

Power Beaming, Resources - Energy, Space Solar Power

Entropy Research and Development

Dormant, Early stage

Resources - Energy, ISRU (In Situ Resource Utilization)

Extraterrestrial Power

Concept

Nuclear Fission Power, Orbital Transportation, Resources - Energy, Hardware, Transport Service (LEO-Moon)

Gryphon Technologies (ManTech)

Development

Helicity Drive

Resources - Energy, Space Tug, Nuclear Fusion Power, In-Space Logistics

Helicity Space

Early stage

ISRU (In Situ Resource Utilization), Space Resources, Resources - Energy, Space Robotics, Robotic Arm

Honda Motor Co

Development

LUNARSABER

Resources - Energy, Space Robotics

Honeybee Robotics (Blue Origin)

Development

SPRINT, SPEAR

Resources - Energy, Nuclear Radioisotope Power, Solar Thermal Propulsion, Active Debris Removal (ADR)

Howe Industries

Concept

Resources - Energy

Ion Power Group

Idea

IX

Resources - Energy, Nuclear Fission Power

IX (Intuitive Machines, X-Energy)

Development

Resources - Energy

KC Space Pirates (Kansas City Space Pirates)

Concept

Resources - Energy, Power Beaming, Space Solar Power

KESE

Concept

Resources - Energy, Nuclear Fission Power

Lockheed Martin

Concept, Development

Space Situational Awareness (SSA), Resources - Energy

Lumi Space

Development, Cancelled

Resources - Energy, Lunar Electric Grid

Lunar Night Survival

Dormant, Concept

Farview Observatory, Lunar South Pole Oxygen Pipeline

In-Space Manufacturing, Resources - Energy, Space Construction Company

Lunar Resources

Early stage

TerraBox

Resources - Energy, Resources - Oxygen, ISRU (In Situ Resource Utilization), In-Space Manufacturing

Maana Electric

Development

MDA

Canadaarm3, SKYMAKER

On-Orbit Servicing, Space Robotics, Commercial Rover, Resources - Energy, In-Space Assembly, In-Space Manufacturing

MDA Space

Development

Resources - Energy, Nuclear Fusion Power

NearStar Fusion

Development

Space Solar Power Incremental Demonstrations and Research (SSPIDR)

Space Solar Power, Resources - Energy

Northrop Grumman

Development

NPT

Resources - Energy, Hardware

NuPromethean Technologies (NPT)

Early stage

Resources - Energy, Nuclear Fission Power, Orbital Transportation

OHB Czechspace

Concept

P3 (Power, Prospecting and Propellant)

Resources - Energy, Propellant Refilling, Propellant Refuel Station, Lunar Power Service, Lunar Electric Grid

Orbital Mining Corporation (OMC)

Development

Space Solar Power, Power Beaming, Lunar Power Service, Resources - Energy

ORiS (Orbital Recharge in Space)

Development

Resources - Energy, Power Beaming

Photonicity

Early stage

Power Beaming, Resources - Energy

Powerlight

Development

Direct Fusion Drive (DFD)

Resources - Energy, Nuclear Fusion Power

Princeton Satellite Systems

Development

Power Beaming, Resources - Energy, Lunar Electric Grid, Space Solar Power

Pulse Space (Litepulse)

Early stage

Resources - Energy, Nuclear Fission Power

Rocket Engineering

Concept

Resources - Energy, Power Beaming

Roland Berger

Concept

Rolls-Royce

Nuclear Fission Power, Nuclear Radioisotope Power, Resources - Energy

Rolls-Royce

Concept

RTX

Resources - Energy, Power Beaming

RTX Corporation (Raytheon)

Development

Resources - Energy

Satellite Squared

Dormant, Early stage

Luna Ring

Resources - Energy, Power Beaming, Hardware

Shimizu Corporation

Concept

ISRU (In Situ Resource Utilization), Space Resources, Resources - Energy

Sierra Space (Sierra Nevada Corp, SNC)

Development

Resources - Energy, Power Beaming

Solar.Space

Dormant, Idea

Resources - Energy, Space Solar Power, Hardware

Solestial

Concept, Development

Resources - Energy, Space Solar Power, Power Beaming

Space Power

Development

Resources - Energy, Power Beaming

Spacefaring Services

Dormant

Resources - Energy, Nuclear Fission Power

SpaceNukes (Space Nukes,Space Nuclear Power Corporation)

Development

Project SEEE

Resources - Energy, Space Solar Power, Power Beaming

Stellarion Energy  (STELLA)

Dormant, Concept

MPR (Mobile Power Rover)

Commercial Rover, Power Beaming, Resources - Energy

STELLS

Development

Resources - Energy, Power Beaming

SunCubes

Development

Resources - Energy, Power Beaming

The Lunar Grid

Dormant

PULSAR

Nuclear Radioisotope Power, Resources - Energy

Tractbel

Early stage, Concept

Pylon

Resources - Energy, Nuclear Fission Power, Commercial Rover, Orbital Transportation

Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC)

Development

Resources - Energy, Nuclear Fusion Power

US Nuclear Corp

Development

Space Solar Power, Power Beaming, Resources - Energy

Virtus Solis

Development

Power Beaming, Resources - Energy, Lunar Electric Grid

Volta Space Technologies (Eternal Light)

Development

Resources - Energy, Nuclear Fission Power

Westinghouse

Concept

Xe-100 Reactor

Resources - Energy, Nuclear Fission Power

X-Energy

Development

Resources - Energy, Power Beaming

XISP (Xtraordinary Innovative Space Partnerships)

Early stage

Resources - Energy, Nuclear Radioisotope Power

Zeno Power Systems

Development

Orbitron

Resources - Energy, Nuclear Fusion Power

Avalanche Energy

Development

Helicity Drive

Resources - Energy, Space Tug, Nuclear Fusion Power, In-Space Logistics

Helicity Space

Early stage

Resources - Energy, Nuclear Fusion Power

NearStar Fusion

Development

Direct Fusion Drive (DFD)

Resources - Energy, Nuclear Fusion Power

Princeton Satellite Systems

Development

Resources - Energy, Nuclear Fusion Power

US Nuclear Corp

Development