It is our intention is to continue our past work on antimatter-driven
deep-space propulsion systems for unmanned exploration probes. In order
to divorce ourselves from the caprious/random nature of government
funding, we have decided to use crowdfunding to pay for the unavoidable
expenses associated with such research and development. The strategy is
to break up the R&D into several separate funding campaigns, making
support for space exploration accessible to everyone instead of just a
few billionaires (i.e. Branson, Musk, Allen, Bezos, Milner, etc.).
|
TITLE:
ANTIMATTER FUEL PRODUCTION
WHERE:
kickstarter.com
LAUNCH DATE:
November 18th, 2016
STATUS:
Raised $2,280
|
When a person in the general public first finds out about
the serious development of antimatter propulsion, their initial
reaction is often "Can we really make antimatter?" The two inevitable
questions after that are: 1) Can you make enough antimatter? and
2) How much would it cost? Tasks planned during this campaign
designed to answer these questions are:
- Design the particle accelerator complex needed to produce
several grams of antiprotons each year.
- Estimate the equipment and operational costs of such a complex,
producing a preliminary design report.
- Produce a design report that specifies all of the processes
and equipment necessary for the production of antilithium,
the proposed antimatter fuel of choice for interstellar
missions requiring deceleration once at the destination
solar system.
- Estimate the equipment and operational costs for antilithium
production.
- Plan a program of future campaigns aimed at experimentally
demonstrating the nucleosynthesis and storage of antilithium
(using normal matter to keep costs low).
|
|
TITLE:
ANTIMATTER PROPULSION
WHERE:
kickstarter.com
LAUNCH DATE:
October 15th, 2016
STATUS:
Failed to be Funded
|
For the first time in 10 years we will again perform research
on antimatter-driven deep-space propulsion. We will begin work
where it was previously left off when government funding dried
up. This work will cover three basic areas of study:
PROPULSION, PRODUCTION,
and STORAGE. Tasks planned for the desired
funding level are:
- Flesh out more sail physics and engineering details
- Upgrade and commission the NIAC-funded thrust test apparatus
- Develop a roadmap for robust antimatter production
- Develop a detailed plan for long-lived antimatter storage
- Generate a list of future verification experiments
- Investigate performing thrust tests with Fermilab and/or CERN antiprotons
- Create a list of potential interstellar destinations
If additional funding becomes available, the following stretch
goals are anticipated:
- Perform an antihydrogen analog long-term storage experiment
- Schedule a thrust test at CERN
|
