Bussard ramjet spacecraft in space, artwork. This theoretical future spaceship technology, proposed in 1960, uses the hydrogen gas found between the s

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Bussard ramjet spacecraft in space, artwork. This theoretical future spaceship technology, proposed in 1960, uses the hydrogen gas found between the stars. Even though the interstellar hydrogen density is very low, a powerful magnetic field would be generated to 'scoop' hydrogen from a large volume of space. The hydrogen would pass into the fuel scoop (right), and into a fusion reactor. Hot plasma from the reactor exits through the exhaust nozzle (left), providing thrust. Such a ship could approach the speed of light, when relativity effects would shorten journey times to the stars.

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Size: 4962px × 3573px
Photo credit: © VICTOR HABBICK VISIONS/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: artw, artwork, base, colonisation, colonizaton, colony, exploration, industrialisation, industrialization, lunar, manned, moon, nasa, space, vehicle