annala%neuro.usc.edu@usc.edu (A J Annala) (11/15/89)
From: annala%neuro.usc.edu@usc.edu (A J Annala) In article 11238_wb9omc@ea.ecn.purdue.edu (Duane P Mantick) writes: >On the question of nuclear powered aircraft, there was a B-36 that >was modified to carry a nuclear reactor. I do not know too many details >but I can tell you that the Squadron/Signal book about the B36 does give >some info. on the subject. If I think about it, I will bring it in sometime >and submit the info. to the moderator for potential posting. Nuclear powered aircraft are passe. The Air Force is now embarking on the design and implementation of antimatter devices and engine systems. The current DoD FY-1990 SBIR Program Solicitation contains these items: AF90-132 Air Beathing Propulsion Using Antimatter OBJECTIVE: To determine if antimatter could be used as the power source for manned or unmanned air breathing vehicles such as missiles, single stage space to orbit vehicles, etc. DESCRIPTION: Since the existence of anitimatter has been determined, and the production and containment of antimatter has no near term solution, its application to air breathing propulsion should be determined in advance of a possible breakthrough. This study would be concerned with the development of a vehicle concept that would make use of this power source. The main concerns for this study would be the estimation of thrust levels available and whether they would be usable in an atmospheric vehicle (based on extrapolated data from current concepts), what safety and operational problems would such a vehicle cause? Phase I activity will include a literature search, development of concept vehicle(s), as well as, a parametric study that would provide size, wieght, and performance estimates of the vehicle concept(s). This would provide a basis for Phase II activities, which would include the refinement of the concept vehicle(s) and their expected performance. AF90-150 Technology for Storage, Handling, or Use of Antimatter OBJECTIVE: Develop technology in the area of 1) analysis of matter by matter-antimatter annihilation radiation; 2) prediction of its products and effects; or 3) safe long-term, high density storage systems for antimatter. DESCRIPTION: Antimatter is composed of quantum mechanical particles which have reverse properties of their normal matter counterparts. When antimatter and matter are allowed to interact, the entire mass of both is converted into energetic radiation, mostly charged pions and gamma rays in the near field. This property of antimatter has led to concepts of stored antimatter as an analytic radiation source in the near term, and as an energy source for rocket propellant in the far term. Proposals are sought to design and demonstrate an element of the technology needed to use antimatter ... Phase I of this effort shall consist of a design for the proposed technology element. In Phase II, the selected item shall be built and demontrated with a normal matter analog. I would, of course, be interested in collaborating with an engineering talent on possible execution of one of these two requests for proposals.