Space Travel in United Trowo

Note: This article is discussing the methods of space travel used in the conworld of Trowo and its related universe, not just the methods of space travel used in the republic of United Trowo.

Space Travel in United Trowo since the year 160 has largely been dependent on 2 key technologies: Warp Engines and Wormholes. Travel within individual systems is still reliant on solar sails, continuous fusion and pulsed fusion.

Intra-system travel
Travelling within individual systems is restricted by law to utilize sub-light speed propulsion methods. Since the year 160, the main travel methods are chemical propulsion (at least to geostationary orbit), solar sails, plasma engines, continuous fusion, pulsed fusion and ion drives.

Chemical Propulsion
Chemical propulsion is the usage of chemical reactions to generate thrust. Modern chemical propulsion rockets typically involve Liquid Oxygen (LOX) and Liquid Hydrogen, LOX and methane or LOX and kerosene. Chemical propulsion rockets that are used for direct launches to the outer planets may also use exotic Metallic Hydrogen and LOX instead. Chemical rockets are typically used only for express launches for those people/goods who need to get to other systems fast as they bypass intermediary travel times (such as travelling to the Orbital Ring).

Solar Sails
Solar sails are used primarily to get to wormhole gates at the outer solar system and almost used solely for that purpose. They catch the solar wind and light pressure from the local star and are push because of it. Their initial movement may be accelerated with chemical propulsion due to its slow start.

Plasma Engines
Plasma engines such as VASIMIR utilize radio waves to ionize gas, which is then accelerated out of the nozzle with magnetic fields. They may achieve speeds up to 0.1c within solar systems with modern power plants and engines. This combined with their relatively high specific impulse makes them one of the top choices for short intra-system travel.

Continuous Fusion
Continuous fusion involves the fusion of Hydrogen (specifically Helium-3 and Deuterium) in a stellarator. After some of the thermal energy is extracted, the high speed exhaust is directed out of the nozzle to produce a large amount of thrust. Due to its relatively light fuel, it is the most ubiquitous intra-system propulsion method, limited only by the efficiency and mass of its fusion engine. Typically larger engines are more efficient, but that comes at the cost of increased mass.

Pulsed Fusion
Pulsed fusion refers to the usage of thermonuclear detonations at the rear of the spacecraft (on a pusher plate) that pushes the spacecraft forwards. This used to be a common method of propulsion before the advent of continuous fusion, but with stricter laws on thermonuclear detonations in space, this method is all but vanished.