[3I13-15] Advanced Reactor Design

[3I14] Conceptual study of an Alpha Particle Engine for Deep Space Exploration

*Hiroki Yaguchi¹, Satuma Yamazaki¹, Keigo Hasegawa¹, Shingo Matumae¹, Yuuki Sakurai¹, Yuusaku Nemoto¹, Yuuki Hashimoto¹, Hajime Saigusa¹, Naoyuki Takaki¹ (1. Tokyo City University)

Keywords:Alpha particles, Ac-227, satellites, propulsion systems

In recent years, the application of nuclear energy has become an indispensable technology for deep space exploration. In this paper, the concept of the α-particle engine, which can obtain thrust for a long period of time by the reaction generated when α-particles are radiated backward using Ac-227 without consuming electric power unlike the propulsion system of a conventional satellite. We also discussed the use of the engine in combination with a solar sail, which was used in the small solar power sail demonstrator IKAROS developed by JAXA using a similar principle.