Plasma Core Rocket Engines

Gerald E. Marsh

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arXiv · 2510.07339

Plasma Core Rocket Engines

Gerald E. Marsh

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Abstract

The basic physics for plasma core rocket engines was already completed in 1985. At the time successful containment of a fissioning uranium hexafluoride U(93%)F6 plasma was achieved for ~120 seconds using an argon vortex. Unfortunately, hydrodynamic confinement of a fissioning fuel in a gas core nuclear rocket without uranium loss is probably unachievable. This article proposes a plasma core that is magnetically contained and uses one of many possible stable force-free magnetic field configurations.

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Gerald E. Marsh. 2025-10-07. Plasma Core Rocket Engines. https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.07339

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