Produced by: Manoj Kumar
After a decade of secrecy, UK startup Pulsar Fusion revealed Sunbird—a nuclear fusion rocket that could halve travel times to Mars and reach Pluto in just 4 years.
Credit : Pulsar Fusion
Sunbird aims to become a reusable “space tug,” pulling spacecraft from Earth’s orbit to far-off destinations like the Moon, Mars, and beyond—no giant rockets required.
Credit : Pulsar Fusion
Instead of chemical burns, Sunbird uses deuterium and helium-3 fusion to produce charged particles—translating directly into deep-space propulsion.
Credit : Pulsar Fusion
Unlike Earth-bound tokamaks, Sunbird’s linear fusion reactor could work more easily in space’s cold vacuum—where natural conditions aid confinement and control.
Credit : Pulsar Fusion
The key fuel, helium-3, is vanishingly rare on Earth. Future missions may mine it from the Moon, but initial tests will use inert gas to simulate engine behavior.
Credit : Pulsar Fusion
If successful, Sunbird could cut the Mars trip from 7 months to about 3.5—making human missions more viable and cargo transport far more efficient.
Credit : Pulsar Fusion
Pulsar envisions a network of fusion-powered docking stations, enabling back-and-forth travel across planets—a true transportation grid for the cosmos.
Credit : Pulsar Fusion
Each rocket, about 100 feet long, is armored against space radiation and debris. Its unusual design isn’t for aesthetics—it’s built for interplanetary survival.
Credit : Pulsar Fusion
Experts like MIT’s Paulo Lozano remain cautious. True fusion is notoriously difficult, and until live tests begin, many doubt it will go beyond the prototype stage.