Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. An ion thruster comprising:a source of deuterium-containing fuel material disposed on an asteroid surface;a reaction volume directed upward from the asteroid surface and open at the top;a flue coupled to the source and reaction volume for dispersing fuel material into the reaction volume;a set of turbines arranged around the reaction volume, wherein the set of turbines are directly exposed to the dispersed fuel material in the reaction volume a set of electrical generators coupled to the respective set of turbines to convert mechanical motion of the set of turbines into electricity; andan ion thrust engine powered by the generated electricity for producing thrust in a specified direction. 2. The generator as in claim 1, wherein the reaction volume is a cylinder with an opening at an upper end. 3. The generator as in claim 1, wherein the turbines are arranged radially around the circumference of the cylinder reaction volume. 4. The generator as in claim 1, wherein turbines are stacked vertically in multiple layers along a length of the cylinder reaction volume. 5. The generator as in claim 1, wherein one or more fans are provided in the reaction volume to maintain the dispersed fuel material in suspension within the reaction volume. 6. The generator as in claim 1, wherein the deuterium-containing micro-fusion particle fuel material comprises Li6D. 7. The generator as in claim 1, wherein the deuterium-containing micro-fusion particle fuel material comprises D2O. 8. The generator as in claim 1, wherein the deuterium-containing micro-fusion particle fuel material comprises D2. 9. The generator as in claim 1, wherein the deuterium-containing micro-fusion particle fuel material is in solid powder form. 10. The generator as in claim 1, wherein the deuterium-containing micro-fusion particle fuel material is in pellet form. 11. The generator as in claim 1, wherein the deuterium-containing micro-fusion particle fuel material is in frozen form. 12. The generator as in claim 1, wherein the deuterium-containing micro-fusion particle fuel material is in liquid droplet form. 13. The generator as in claim 1, wherein the deuterium-containing micro-fusion particle fuel material also contains up to 20% by weight of added particles of fine sand or dust.