United States Patent US8109471B2: Tubular Shaped Interstellar Space Craft — Helical Tungsten-Band Plasma MHD

Patent Number: US8109471B2 Title: Tubular Shaped Interstellar Space Craft Inventor: Gary Gochnour Assignee: Individual Filed: November 14, 2008; Granted February 7, 2012 Status: Expired - Fee Related (adjusted expiration 2029-10-19) Classification: B64C39/00 — Aircraft not otherwise provided for Jurisdiction: United States (US) Track Directory (Physics_Math): 1_Track/ — helical tungsten-band rotating field driving plasma MHD axial acceleration; Bussard ramjet analog using noble gas ionization; self-fueling plasma propulsion

Image files:

• patents_intl/tweets/raw_download/2044033685406523494_1.jpg

Abstract

"The invention relates to a plasma based aircraft possessing a magnetic field, and a plasma vortex. The craft is tubular in shape. The craft has a vast array of capacitors. The craft also has a proton accelerator, plasma guns, and diversion devices. The craft will approach the speed of light, over time. The craft obtains fuel direct from an atmosphere or a radiation induced atmosphere in space, at no cost, similar to our Moon's radiation induced atmosphere of the noble gases. The craft can travel to a gk star, for only the cost of construction of craft. The craft has three on-board escape, exploratory craft. The craft produces plasma vortices within an electromagnetic field. The field is an inhomogeneous, diamagnetic, orbiting plasma field, with a magnetohydrodynamic electrically conducting plasma current. The craft possesses approximately seven uninsulated, tungsten bands, encircling craft."

Structural Description

Thirteen patent figures illustrate the tubular geometry, capacitor array distribution, proton accelerator placement, plasma gun emitters, tungsten band positions, and the orbiting plasma vortex configuration. The tubular form factor is optimized for the specific propulsion mechanism: the seven uninsulated tungsten bands create a helical conductor pattern around the tubular hull, and when current flows through them in sequence, they generate a rotating magnetic field that drives the plasma vortex into helical motion.

Physics Mechanism: Helical Plasma MHD Acceleration

In a cylindrical geometry, a rotating magnetic field drives the plasma into rotation, creating a toroidal current sheet. The interaction of the toroidal current with the axial magnetic field (produced by the same tungsten bands in their axial current component) creates an axial J × B Lorentz force on the plasma — analogous to a linear induction motor where the plasma is the rotor. The plasma is expelled axially, producing thrust.

As the plasma accelerates, it picks up additional ionizable gas from the ambient medium: atmospheric noble gases at low altitude; solar-wind-ionized noble gases in space from radiation-induced noble gas ionization of cometary-type material. The Moon's atmosphere is cited specifically as a reference example — the Moon has a thin atmosphere of noble gases (He, Ne, Ar) generated by solar wind implantation and outgassing, which a craft in cislunar space could collect and ionize for propellant.

Self-Fueling: Bussard Ramjet Analog

The self-fueling aspect — collecting and ionizing ambient noble gas — is consistent with the Bussard ramjet concept (1960), where a spacecraft uses a magnetic funnel to collect interstellar hydrogen for fusion fuel. Gochnour's version uses noble gas ionization rather than hydrogen fusion, lowering the technology threshold considerably.

The proton accelerator onboard provides the initial ionization energy and can augment thrust by directly contributing accelerated proton flux to the exhaust. The vast capacitor array stores the electrical energy required for the initial discharge cycles before steady-state plasma vortex operation is established.

Relativistic Kinematics

The claim that the craft "will approach the speed of light over time" reflects the theoretical conclusion for any consistent thrust applied over long durations in vacuum: with constant proper acceleration a, the craft's velocity asymptotically approaches c per the relativistic kinematic relation:

v(t) = at/√(1+(at/c)²)

At 1 g constant proper acceleration, the craft would reach 0.99c in roughly one year of ship time (and approximately 1.18 years of coordinate time by the relativistic clock). The tungsten bands and plasma MHD system are the specific implementation proposed to achieve this sustained low-level thrust.

The exhaust velocity for ionized noble gas (Ar, mass ~40 amu) accelerated to relativistic speeds determines the mass-flow rate required for 1 g thrust. For Ar at exit velocity v_e = 0.1c:

T = ṁ × v_e = 1 g × M_craft

gives ṁ proportional to the craft mass divided by ~3×10⁷ m/s, a number that for a multi-ton craft requires a collection cross-section of order km² in average interstellar noble gas densities — this is the magnetic funnel problem that limits all Bussard-type concepts, independent of the specific propellant species.

Sources

• US8109471B2 on Google Patents
• Bussard, R.W. (1960) — "Galactic Matter and Interstellar Flight," Acta Astronautica 6:179–194
• Lunar noble gas atmosphere — solar wind implantation data

This information was compiled from Break_thrus.mdx staging file.