A Spin-Polarised Interstellar Ramjet: Collection, Thrust and the Drag Balance at Cruise

This paper presents a complete design study of an interstellar ramjet that polarises the hydrogen it collects before fusion, computed throughout from stated assumptions. Polarisation raises the exhaust velocity to 0.054 of light speed, and the thrust-drag balance changes sign at that speed: below it the ship gains, above it the collected stream costs more momentum than the exhaust returns. At five percent of light speed the net thrust is 36.0 N; at a tenth of light speed the collected flow is 6.00e-05 kg per second and the net thrust is -826.9 N; at a fifth of light speed the thrust reaches 1941.3 N against a net thrust of -5248.7 N. Every figure is a computed result of the stated model and nothing was built or tested: the study is SIMULATED, NOT MEASURED, and its limits are stated as plainly as its performance.

Authors

Publication Details

Journal
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Published
2026-11-11
DOI
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.24125745
Citations
1
Primary Topic
Rocket and propulsion systems research
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
1.98
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article

A Spin-Polarised Interstellar Ramjet: Collection, Thrust and the Drag Balance at Cruise

William Alexander Aldred
1 citations
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Rocket and propulsion systems research
1.98
article

A Spin-Polarised Interstellar Ramjet: Collection, Thrust and the Drag Balance at Cruise

William Alexander Aldred
article en
1 citations

Abstract

This paper presents a complete design study of an interstellar ramjet that polarises the hydrogen it collects before fusion, computed throughout from stated assumptions. Polarisation raises the exhaust velocity to 0.054 of light speed, and the thrust-drag balance changes sign at that speed: below it the ship gains, above it the collected stream costs more momentum than the exhaust returns. At five percent of light speed the net thrust is 36.0 N; at a tenth of light speed the collected flow is 6.00e-05 kg per second and the net thrust is -826.9 N; at a fifth of light speed the thrust reaches 1941.3 N against a net thrust of -5248.7 N. Every figure is a computed result of the stated model and nothing was built or tested: the study is SIMULATED, NOT MEASURED, and its limits are stated as plainly as its performance.

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Openalex Percentile: Top 21%
Rocket and propulsion systems research
1.98
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