Drexler Technology Corporation

Other

Lasercard Corporation

Jerome Drexler

Eric W Bouldin

Joseph B Arnold

Richard M Haddock

Christopher J Dyball

Carl R Betz

Establishing and growth of a lunar or planetary surface base involves continuing to use landing spacecraft as docked modules of the base for habitation and work. A first spacecraft is landed at a specified surface site then doubles as first module of the base. A second (and later third and subsequent) spacecraft is landed at the site a safe distance from the existing base modules then moved over the surface into a side-by-side position to dock with selected base modules. At least some of the landing, surface transport, and operational electric power is supplied by micro-fusion using ambient cosmic rays and muons interacting with deuterium-containing particle fuel material to generate energetic reaction products.

Spacecraft-module habitats and bases

A craft having a source of deuterium-containing micro-fusion fuel particles is operable above a planetary, lunar or asteroid surface in the presence of ambient cosmic rays. The fuel particles are dispersible from a set of ports, where at least some of the ports are in an underside of the craft body and others are in lateral sides of the craft body. Dispersed fuel particles interact with ambient cosmic rays and muons to generate energetic reaction products, at least some which are then received by the underside of the craft to generate lift and also selected lateral sides of the craft to generate propulsive thrust in a desired lateral direction. The craft can carry tethers and winches to carry a payload above the surface from location to another. In another embodiment, a balloon-based design, such as a dirigible, provides primary buoyant lift, while the micro-fusion particles provide at least lateral thrust, and supplemental lift where needed.

Micro-fusion-powered unmanned craft

Asteroid redirection and soft-landing systems are provided that use cosmic ray and muon-catalyzed micro-fusion. These systems include a micro-fusion propulsion system providing thrust for redirecting a small asteroid, as well as providing a particle cushion at a landing site for a soft-landing. The systems deploy deuterium-containing fuel material as a localized cloud interacting with incoming ambient cosmic rays to generate energetic fusion products. Dust or other particulate matter in the fuel material converts some cosmic rays into muons that also catalyze fusion. The fusion products provide thrusting upon the asteroid. The fusion products also aid deceleration of incoming asteroids to be mined for a soft landing upon a lunar or planetary surface.

Asteroid redirection and soft landing facilitated by cosmic ray and muon-catalyzed fusion

A collision-avoidance propulsion system and method for orbiting satellites and other spacecraft takes advantage of ambient cosmic rays in space to catalyze micro-fusion events via particle-target fusion and muon-catalyzed fusion processes, using the reaction products to produce thrust upon orbiting satellites and other spacecraft. A supply of deuterium-containing particle fuel material is propelled in a specified direction of the spacecraft in response to indication of a potential collision with another space object (e.g. orbiting debris). In one embodiment, this may be performed by propellant gas expelling the fuel material through conduits to specified ports on the exterior of the spacecraft. The propelled material interacts with the ambient cosmic rays and muon generated from those cosmic rays to induce micro-fusion. A portion of the energetic reaction products (e.g. alpha particles) are received upon the spacecraft to alter its trajectory in a manner that avoids the potential collision.

Spacecraft collision-avoidance propulsion system and method

Asteroid redirection systems are provided that use cosmic ray and muon-catalyzed micro-fusion. These systems include a micro-fusion propulsion system providing thrust for redirecting an asteroid, as well as micro-fusion electrical generation powering an ion drive. The systems deploy deuterium-containing fuel material as a localized cloud interacting with incoming ambient cosmic rays to generate energetic fusion products. Dust or other particulate matter in the fuel material converts some cosmic rays into muons that also catalyze fusion. The fusion products provide thrusting upon the asteroid, or when produced near turbines facilitates electrical generation, which can then power an ion drive.

Asteroid redirection facilitated by cosmic ray and muon-catalyzed fusion

A method, operable in the presence of ambient cosmic rays, is provided for braking a craft upon approach to a planet, moon or other space body, e.g. in preparation for landing. Deuterium-containing particle fuel material is projected in a specified direction outward of the craft, which interacts with both the cosmic rays and their principal decay product muons to generate energetic micro-fusion products that produce a braking thrust on the craft for a specified trajectory. The micro-fusion products may push directly against the craft, e.g. upon a pressure plate, or upon a sail or parachute connected to the craft, to decelerate the craft. A prepositioned automated landing system at a landing site may project the fuel material toward the craft based on telemetry tracking of an incoming craft and likewise directly disperse the material cloud to form a braking cushion at the landing site. The micro-fusion landing system may be part of a site-to-site transport, where the craft was launched using either conventional chemical rockets or micro-fusion for accelerating thrust.

Spacecraft landing and site-to-site transport for a planet, moon or other space body

A spacecraft propulsion method uses cosmic ray triggered nuclear micro-fusion events to provide repeated or continuous thrust for artificial gravity during a space flight. In one embodiment, successive packages of deuterium-containing micro-fusion particle fuel material is projected in a specified direction outward from a spacecraft. In another embodiment, the micro-fusion fuel material is a coating upon a set of angled rings arranged circumferentially around the spacecraft. In a third embodiment, the micro-fusion fuel is dispersed in proximity to 'wind' turbines to generate electricity for ion thrusters. In each case, the material interacts with the ambient flux of cosmic rays to generate micro-fusion products having kinetic energy that either produce thrust upon the spacecraft or drive the turbines whose electrical output in turn powers the ion thrusters.

Interplanetary spacecraft using fusion-powered constant-acceleration thrust

A spacecraft propulsion system operated in the presence of an ambient flux of cosmic rays is provided, wherein the cosmic rays interact with deuterium-containing nuclear micro-fusion fuel material to generate products having useful kinetic energy. The propulsion system comprises a supply of the deuterium-containing particle fuel material, along with means (such as a gun) for projecting the material (e.g. as successive packages in the form of shell projectiles) outward from a spacecraft. The spacecraft has means (such as a pusher mechanism) for receiving at least some portion of the generated kinetic-energy-containing products to produce thrust upon the spacecraft.

Interplanetary spacecraft using fusion-powered thrust

A method and system for recording and storing digital data on optical memory cards and labels in the form of miniature bar codes using laser recording of optical storage media to create multiple updatable, miniature 2-D bar codes, storing about 15 to more than 500 times as much digital data as the widely-adopted PDF-417, 2-D bar code. The optical storage media is of the DRAW (direct-read-after-write) type which requires no post processing. The optical storage media is pre-formatted with tracks to precisely locate the recorded microscopic data spots. Groups of these microscopic data spots form data bars which in turn form data pixels whose dimensions are at least four times greater linearly and 16 times greater in area than the microscopic data spots. The data pixels can be read with photodetector arrays such as CCD arrays.

Method for laser writing multiple updatable miniature 2-D barcode data bases for electronic commerce

A method and system for recording and storing digital data on optical memory stripes of smart/optical cards using laser recording of optical storage media to create updatable, high resolution, two-dimensional bar codes, storing about 15 to more than 500 times as much digital data as the widely-adopted PDF-417, two-dimensional bar code. The optical storage media is of the DRAW (direct-read-after-write) type which requires no post processing. The optical storage media is pre-formatted with tracks to precisely locate the recorded microscopic data spots. Groups of these microscopic data spots form data bars which in turn form data pixels whose dimensions are at least four times greater linearly and 16 times greater in area than the microscopic data spots. The data pixels on the optical memory stripe can be read with photodetector arrays such as CCD arrays.

Method and system for laser writing on smart/optical cards data pixels usable in e-commerce transactions

The invention is a method and system for inhibiting the use of counterfeited optical memory cards and hybrid smart cards that use Drexon&trade; reflective laser recordable media for recording and storing data. Use of such counterfeit versions of Drexon&trade; optical memory cards can be inhibited by use of two or more LEDs, or semiconductor lasers, which would focus their light beams on the apparent Drexon&trade; optical memory stripe. Using photodetectors, the reflectivity of the Drexon&trade; stripe would be measured at two or more wavelengths including the visible and the infrared so as to identify the Drexon&trade; media, a silver particle-based material which has a unique reflectivity vs. wavelength characteristic. If the relative reflectivities match those predetermined characteristics of the Drexon&trade; media, the card would not be rejected; otherwise it would be rejected.

Anti-counterfeit authentication method for optical memory cards and hybrid smart cards

A method for inhibiting the counterfeiting of electronic cash smart cards that use microchips for monetary stored value or digital identity cards that use microchips to control the transfer of data. Such electronic cash cards have recently been counterfeited by the use of electronic techniques to break the security codes. Such counterfeiting can be inhibited by bonding an optical memory stripe to the smart card with pre-recorded or post-recorded validation data at one or multiple locations on the cards. This optical validation data would be read with a photodetector array and could be transmitted to the recipient during funds transfer and/or used locally to control dispensing of cash or data. Thus successful counterfeiting of the modified electronic cash or digital identity card would require meeting exacting electronic and optical requirements.

Validation method for electronic cash cards and digital identity cards utilizing optical data storage

A method and system for recording and storing digital data on optical memory cards and labels using laser recording of optical storage media to create updatable, high resolution, two-dimensional bar codes, storing about 15 to more than 500 times as much digital data as the widely-adopted PDF-417, two-dimensional bar code. The optical storage media is of the DRAW (direct-read-after-write) type which requires no post processing. The optical storage media is pre-formatted with tracks to precisely locate the recorded microscopic data spots. Groups of these microscopic data spots form data bars which in turn form data pixels whose dimensions are at least four times greater linearly and 16 times greater in area than the microscopic data spots. The data pixels can be read with photodetector arrays such as CCD arrays.

Method and system for laser writing microscopic data spots on cards and

An apparatus for the creation and detection of high velocity alpha particles accompanied by one or two captured electrons. The apparatus is a modification of the well-known Cockcroft and Walton experiment used to disintegrate lithium-7 into high energy alpha particles by bombarding the lithium with high energy protons. The resulting alpha particles with captured electrons cannot be detected by normal helium absorption spectrum techniques and have other unique attributes.

Method and apparatus for detecting high velocity alpha particles having

A method and system for inhibiting the counterfeiting of electronic cash smart cards that use microchips for monetary stored value. Such cards have recently been counterfeited by the use of electronic techniques to break the security codes. Such counterfeiting can be inhibited by bonding an optical memory stripe to the smart card with pre-recorded or post-recorded validation data on the cards. This optical validation data would be read with a photodetector array and could be transmitted to the recipient during funds transfer and/or used locally to control dispensing of cash. Thus successful counterfeiting of the modified electronic cash card would require meeting exacting electronic and optical requirements.

Growing community of inventors

Los Altos Hills, CA, United States of America

Jerome Drexler