**6. Components of a matter/anti-matter spacecraft**

Based on the discoveries of Chen and Stenson, the basic components of a matter/ anti-matter propulsion system are fairly simple. The system will probably need four main components: a power source, a paired-particle generator, a storage system, and an annihilation chamber (or, an "interaction" chamber). Depending on the efficiency of the paired-particle generator, and the nature of the mission, it may not be necessary to have a storage system.

With a storage system, the engine would probably be ordered something like **Figure 7**, with a payload on top.

### **6.1 Power source**

The power source for the system is probably going to be a fission-based nuclear reactor. These reactors have been used in industry and in multiple navies around the world. The reactor for space travel would be similar to the nuclear reactors used to power modern nuclear submarines. In the 1960s, nuclear reactors for propulsion systems for aircraft were developed in the United States, showing that the weight of a reactor required for a space-propulsion system should not be an impediment to success.

## **6.2 Paired-particle generator**

The heart of the system is the paired-particle generator. Based on the work of Chen and her team, this component would require a high-energy laser and a gold (or similar) target substrate. It would also require a magnetic collection system. The magnetic system would collect the electrons and positrons generated by the laser and direct them to the storage component.

### **6.3 Storage system**

The storage system will probably consist of twin tokamaks, one for storing electrons and one for storing positrons. A tokamak is a large magnetic container. It is shaped like a donut, and the magnets inside are also shaped like donuts. **Figure 8** shows the basic configuration of a tokamak; the electrons or positrons would be stored as "Plasma current".

The tokamaks for a matter/anti-matter propulsion system will probably be different from the fusion tokamaks that have been produced to date. Fusion tokamaks are designed to contain very high pressures. The tokamaks for matter/anti-matter space propulsion will probably not require such high pressures, but will still require creating very high magnetic forces.

**Figure 7.**

*System concept (courtesy Mustang Publishing).*

**Figure 8.**

*Tokamak (courtesy Mustang Publishing).*

*Matter/Anti-Matter Propulsion DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.110310*

**Figure 9.** *Particle-flow diagram (courtesy Mustang Publishing).*

Like the paired-particle generator, the twin tokamaks will require a magnetic system for directing the electrons and positrons to the annihilation chamber. In **Figure 7**, those components are called toroidal injectors.

The paired particles would flow into, and out of, the tokamaks in a pattern that is something like what is shown in **Figure 9**, with the tokamak "donut" in the middle:
