Boeing has grand plans to eventually build a jet engine powered by lasers and nuclear explosions!
No, really…
Boeing’s latest approved patent application with the US Patent and Trademark Office details the company’s vision for the future of jet engines.
Instead of turbofan engines, which currently power the Boeing Dreamliner, the futuristic engine would utilize high-powered laser beams to vaporize nuclear material within a thruster, causing nuclear fusion reactions.
Basically, a self-powered engine would be the byproduct of small explosions releasing high-energy neutrons, propelling the plane forward while the surplus heat would be captured to power a turbine and recharge the laser system.
If successful, the new engine could also find applications in missiles, power rockets, and spacecraft!
