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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Pbartender" data-source="post: 3197019" data-attributes="member: 7533">[PSEUDOSCIENCE=TECHNOBABBLE]The Fusion RamjetThe fusion ramjet is a tubular structure that uses intensely powerful electro-magnetic fields to sweep up the trace amounts of interplanetary and interstellar atoms, such as ionized hydrogen. The swept up particles are funneled into the ramjet's reactor via the E-M fields, where they are compressed and heated to the point of inducing a nuclear fusion reaction, which can then be focused out the exhaust nozzles using the same E-M fields (which can be reversed for deceleration purposes.  The result is a powerful, high acceleration engine with a virtually unlimited fuel supply, which, while unable to obtain superluminal speeds, is eminently suitable for extended voyages.Unfortunately, the ramjet requires constant forward motion and a certain minimal amount of reaction mass to sustain the fusion reaction.  This causes three major drawbacks:First, any spaceship using the ramjet much reach a certain minimum velocity before the fusion reaction can be initiated.  This minimum velocity is directly proportional to the concentration of reaction fuel available.  It has been noted that some pilots have been able to ignite their fusion ramjets from a near standstill while orbiting in the upper atmospheres of planets.  This is highly dangerous, however, as an excessively high concentration of reastion mass can overload the E-M containment fields, causing the reaction to occur in an uncontrolled manner, using resulting in the destruction of the ship and anything within the immediate vicinity.Second, any spaceship using a fusion ramjet has a severely limited turning radius.  While the ionized fusion exhaust can be directed suing the E-M field in the exhaust nozzles -- even to 180 degrees for rapid deceleration -- forward motion is still required to collect the necessary fuel to propegate the fusion reaction.  Adjusting the ship's axis more than a few degrees from the line of it's trajectory will very likely provide inadequate fuel collection.  The engine will stall, and the fusion reaction will be extinguished.Lastly, the density of interplanetary and interstellar gas is by no means consistant.  Pockets of "high-density", "low-density", or even empty space may exist.  Explorers traveling through uncharted space do so at their own risk.[/PSEUDOSCIENCE]</blockquote>

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