Patent US8109471B2 — Tubular Shaped Interstellar Space Craft (Helical Tungsten-Band Plasma MHD)
Bibliographic Information
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Patent Number | US8109471B2 |
| Title | Tubular Shaped Interstellar Space Craft |
| Inventor | Gary Gochnour |
| Assignee | Individual (Gary Gochnour) |
| Filing Date | November 14, 2008 |
| Publication Date | February 7, 2012 |
| Status | Expired — Fee Related (adjusted expiration October 19, 2029) |
| Classifications | B64G1/1064 (Interstellar exploration spacecraft); B64G1/413 (Ion/plasma engines); B64C39/00 (Aircraft not otherwise provided for) |
| Jurisdiction | United States (US) |
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.
Claims (Summary)
The patent includes multiple claims covering:
Primary configuration: Tubular shaped interstellar spacecraft comprising:
- Ferromagnetic tungsten steel hull of approximately 72 feet length × 16 feet width
- Seven uninsulated tungsten wire bands encircling the hull exterior
- Rounded cobalt steel impact caps at front and rear
- Proton accelerator along center axis (north-south poles)
- Plasma vortex field with concentric electron/proton bands
- Capacitor array (200 sets, parallel configuration)
- Inductance coil (copper construction)
- Superconducting energy storage ring
- Three plasma guns for navigation/propulsion
- Three on-board escape/exploratory sub-craft
Operational claims: The craft generates energetic charged particles traveling near the speed of light through electromagnetic induction, theoretically enabling interstellar travel without external fuel sources by collecting and ionizing ambient noble gases.
Description / Specification
Structural Design
Physical Dimensions:
- Length: ~72 feet (~22 meters)
- Width: ~16 feet (~4.9 meters)
- Hull material: Ferromagnetic tungsten steel
Hull Geometry: Tubular (cylindrical with rounded caps) — optimized for the specific propulsion mechanism. The cylindrical form maximizes the helical winding length of the seven tungsten bands per unit volume.
Thirteen Patent Figures
The patent includes 13 figures illustrating:
- Tubular geometry overall view
- Capacitor array distribution
- Proton accelerator placement
- Plasma gun emitter positions
- Tungsten band positions (helical winding pattern)
- Orbiting plasma vortex configuration 7–13. Component cross-sections, control circuits, and sub-craft deployment
Key Components
| Component | Description |
|---|---|
| Tungsten bands (7, uninsulated) | Helical conductor pattern around tubular hull; when current flows in sequence, generate rotating magnetic field driving plasma vortex |
| Proton accelerator | Along center axis (north-south poles); provides initial ionization energy and augments thrust via accelerated proton flux |
| Capacitor array (200 sets) | Parallel configuration; stores electrical energy required for initial discharge cycles before steady-state plasma vortex operation |
| Inductance coil (copper) | Coupled to capacitor array; provides initial electromagnetic pulse for plasma ignition |
| Superconducting energy storage ring | Long-duration energy reserve; maintains plasma vortex during steady-state operation |
| Plasma guns (3) | Navigation and propulsion fine-control; positioned for three-axis maneuverability |
| Cobalt steel impact caps | Front and rear; ferromagnetic material for magnetic field boundary conditions |
| Three sub-craft | On-board escape and exploratory vehicles |
Physics Mechanism: Helical Plasma MHD Acceleration
In cylindrical geometry, the seven tungsten bands create a helical conductor pattern around the tubular hull. When current flows through them in phase sequence:
- The bands generate a rotating magnetic field pattern around the hull exterior
- This rotating field drives the surrounding plasma into rotational motion
- The rotating plasma creates a toroidal current sheet
- The toroidal current interacts with the axial component of the magnetic field (produced by the same tungsten bands in their axial current component)
- The resulting J × B axial Lorentz force expels plasma axially:
F_axial = J_toroidal × B_axial
This is directly analogous to a linear induction motor where the plasma is the rotor. The plasma is expelled axially, producing thrust by momentum transfer.
Self-Fueling: Bussard Ramjet Analog
As the plasma accelerates, it picks up additional ionizable gas from the ambient medium:
- Atmospheric operation: Ambient noble gases (Ar, Ne, He from air)
- Cislunar space: Solar-wind-ionized noble gases from lunar outgassing/implantation (cited specifically)
- Interstellar space: Interstellar medium ionizable species
The Moon's atmosphere is cited as a specific reference example: the Moon has a thin atmosphere of noble gases (He, Ne, Ar) generated by solar wind implantation and outgassing from lunar soil, which a craft in cislunar space could collect and ionize for propellant.
This is structurally analogous to the Bussard ramjet concept (Robert W. Bussard, 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 substantially.
Relativistic Kinematics: Path to Lightspeed
The claim that the craft "will approach the speed of light over time" reflects the physics of sustained thrust in vacuum. For constant proper acceleration a, the craft's velocity from the relativistic kinematic equation:
v(t) = at / √(1 + (at/c)²)
As t → ∞, v → c asymptotically. At 1 g constant proper acceleration:
- 0.99c achieved in approximately 1 year of ship time
- Approximately 1.18 years of coordinate time at 0.99c
The tungsten bands and plasma MHD system are the proposed mechanism for achieving this sustained low-level thrust over the years-to-decades timescale required for interstellar transit.
Mass Flow Requirement Analysis
The exhaust velocity for ionized noble gas (Ar, atomic 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
For a multi-ton craft with M = 10³ kg:
ṁ = (10³ × 9.8) / (3×10⁷) ≈ 3.3×10⁻⁴ kg/s
This requires a collection cross-section at average interstellar noble gas densities (~10⁻¹ cm⁻³ for He near the Sun) that scales to order km² — the magnetic funnel problem that limits all Bussard-type concepts. In denser environments (lunar orbit, near planetary atmospheres), the collection problem is more tractable.
Three On-Board Sub-Craft
The patent specifies three escape/exploratory sub-craft housed within the main vessel. This provides:
- Emergency evacuation capability (escape function)
- Planetary surface or near-ship exploration (exploratory function)
- Staging capability for multi-stage maneuvers
Technical Classifications
- B64G1/1064 — Interstellar exploration spacecraft (most specific classification)
- B64G1/413 — Ion or plasma engines
- B64C39/00 — Aircraft not otherwise provided for
Physics Assessment
The relativistic kinematics claim is mathematically sound for any consistent thrust over sufficient time. The Bussard-analog self-fueling claim is physically plausible in principle but faces the magnetic funnel collection cross-section problem at interstellar densities. Near planetary bodies, the noble gas collection is more practical.
The core MHD propulsion mechanism (helical band rotating field driving toroidal plasma current → axial J×B force) is physically valid and is the same family of mechanism used in:
- Russian disc craft patents (RU2106287C1 Track_8, RU2046210C1 Track_14)
- Chinese sphere patent (CN111038740A Track_7)
- Lockheed Martin surface plasma patent (US8006939B2 Track_16)
Prior Art / Citations
The patent cites:
- Bussard, R.W. (1960) — "Galactic Matter and Interstellar Flight," Acta Astronautica 6:179–194 (Bussard ramjet concept)
- Lunar noble gas atmosphere — solar wind implantation data (motivation for noble gas fuel concept)
Citations
- Google Patents: US8109471B2
- Bussard, R.W. (1960) — Acta Astronautica 6:179–194
Patent text compiled from Google Patents. Full original at the above URL.