UK Startup Ignites Plasma Inside Nuclear Fusion Rocket (euronews.com)
- Reference: 0181142836
- News link: https://science.slashdot.org/story/26/03/28/0217238/uk-startup-ignites-plasma-inside-nuclear-fusion-rocket
- Source link: https://www.euronews.com/next/2026/03/26/world-first-uk-startup-ignites-plasma-inside-nuclear-fusion-rocket-in-major-step-for-space
> Pulsar Fusion [2]revealed the milestone during a [3]live stream at Amazon's MARS Conference, hosted by Jeff Bezos in California this week, with CEO Richard Dinan calling it an "exceptional moment" for the company. The team successfully created plasma - an intensely hot, electrically charged state of matter, often described as the fourth state of matter - using electric and magnetic fields inside its experimental and early prototype "Sunbird fusion exhaust system." [...] The company now plans further testing of its Sunbird system to improve performance. Upcoming upgrades include more powerful superconducting magnets designed to better contain and control plasma.
[1] https://www.euronews.com/next/2026/03/26/world-first-uk-startup-ignites-plasma-inside-nuclear-fusion-rocket-in-major-step-for-space
[2] https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/03/25/3262529/0/en/In-a-World-s-First-Pulsar-Fusion-Demonstrates-Its-Sunbird-Nuclear-Fusion-Rocket-s-First-Plasma-at-MARS-Conference-Hosted-by-Jeff-Bezos.html
[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTEr_UmiaYI
UK Startup Ignites Plasma (Score:3)
I had one of those globes from Radio Shack that would do that.
Re: (Score:3)
Contact the British government; they'd like to throw a billion quid at you.
next... (Score:2)
Bussard collectors!
Bussard... does not sound English.
Re: next... (Score:2)
With all the space travel in star trek, haven't they cleaned up the galaxy with their Bussard collectors? Asking for a friend. Weirdo. Loves star trek.
Re: (Score:2)
> With all the space travel in star trek, haven't they cleaned up the galaxy with their Bussard collectors?
No, the anti-tachyon emitters restore the galactic ether. ;-)
Specific impulse (Score:2)
All rockets basically do is throw mass out the back to move forward with an equal and opposite reaction since we don’t have massless drives like using light for propellant. The problem lies in that the mass has to be loaded on and can’t be collected as it goes so the faster you can eject the mass the more force you can get from each particle and this ratio of mass to thrust is called specific impulse. A high specific impulse means you will be able to travel faster long term, and even short ter
The fusion delusion strikes again (Score:1)
"Successfully created plasma" is so far from fusion that this isn't a laughable claim, it is just stupid bullshit marketing.
Re: (Score:2)
You'll be so sorry in 30 years' time when they colonize Mars and strike you from their orbital clandestine platforms.
Re:The fusion delusion strikes again (Score:4, Informative)
If only you could get to Mars by burning investor capital and government grants.