BLETCHLEY, U.K. - Pulsar Fusion in Bletchley, England, announced that the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) will support the company with specialist neutron shielding and activation modeling for its Sunbird fusion propulsion initiative.
The work will provide high‑level modeling and analysis to guide shielding approaches and materials selection for future fusion‑powered spacecraft architectures, advancing engineering foundations for sustained operation in deep‑space environments. The involvement builds on UKAEA expertise in fusion materials modeling and radiation analysis to support Pulsar’s mission of developing next‑generation space propulsion technologies.
Fusion propulsion refers to spacecraft propulsion systems that use energy released through nuclear reactions to generate thrust and, in some designs, electric power. Unlike conventional chemical rockets, which are limited by relatively low exhaust velocity and heavy propellant requirements, a fusion drive could offer much higher specific impulse, enabling long‑duration thrust and potentially shorter transit times for deep‑space missions.
Related: Pulsar Fusion begins construction of nuclear fusion rocket engine
Nuclear thrust
One concept in fusion propulsion is the Direct Fusion Drive (DFD), a theoretical engine intended to produce thrust directly from fusion reactions while also supplying electrical power for onboard systems. Research at institutions such as the U.S. Department of Energy’s Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory and by independent firms indicates that a DFD‑type engine could generate both thrust and electricity with a compact fusion core that uses magnetic confinement to heat and accelerate plasma.
Pulsar Fusion’s modeling suggests that a compact fusion engine integrated into Sunbird could produce significant thrust and power - potentially 2 megawatts of output - and propel a spacecraft with a mass around 1,000 kg to distant targets like Pluto in about four years, faster than chemical propulsion allows.
"This is an important step forward for Sunbird," said Richard Dinan, founder and CEO of Pulsar Fusion. "UKAEA’s support strengthens the technical groundwork behind our fusion propulsion roadmap and reflects the growing momentum behind the UK’s role in building the future fusion economy, not only on Earth, but in space."
Related: Phase Four to launch monopropellant multimode propulsion system for satellites
Sunbird is Pulsar Fusion’s long‑term program to develop high‑performance fusion propulsion concepts intended to enable faster and more efficient transport for spacecraft beyond Earth orbit. The neutron shielding modeling work complements Pulsar’s broader effort to combine British scientific expertise, industrial innovation, and international partnerships to deliver next‑generation propulsion systems for future international space missions.
