Pulsar Fusion

Pulsar Fusion is a UK company developing nuclear fusion propulsion technology for space applications. Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Bletchley, the company's approach is Direct Fusion Drive (DFD) — a compact fusion reactor concept derived from Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory research that would heat plasma to produce thrust while also generating electricity, potentially enabling spacecraft to travel to Mars in under 90 days and to Jupiter in under two years. Pulsar also manufactures conventional hybrid rocket engines for commercial applications to generate revenue while fusion research matures.

The company partnered with Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory to conduct plasma tests and secured funding from UK Space Agency and private investors. Pulsar's timeline targets a fusion propulsion prototype in the late 2020s, though fusion propulsion remains a longer-term technology compared to near-term electric propulsion systems.